The Tails Epic: Volume I: Origins
by Zoran Prower
Summary: Tails early life, from his birth to becoming a promiment member of Sonic's crew. All of this is a heavy struggle, as Tails constantly fights not only for his life, but every life as he works to overcome great obstacles.
1. Chapter 1

The Tails Epic:

**A/N: This is the Tails Epic, which will be my greatest story to date. There will be four volumes, each consisting of a different period of time in the epic. (Before Sonic X, After, etc.) The parts of the story focusing on the games or shows are subject to modification due to originality that needs to be inputted to make it "original work". **

Volume I: Origins

Part 1: Goodbye, Homeland

_I remember little about the day I was born. It is not until now, old with age, my great-grandchildren eager to hear my fascinating tales of how everything started, that I have thought about it. It was odd, to have two tails, to have cousins with only one, and to have a father with nine. I was the youngest of all the Prower family, and in our kingdom, it is the youngest child, not the oldest, who inherits the throne. My father was glad that I would inherit the throne when he died, though I held little interesting in ruling at the time. I was young and wanted to enjoy life as an aimless noble, and be a child forever. For this was the happiest time in my life. Even now, I don't think there was a happier time in my life but the day I got married._

_Fate however, can destroy the plans of even the strongest and most determined…And my own plans were soon to be lost as destiny carved out a different path for us all…_

~Miles Tails Prower

Chapter 1: The Nine Tailed Fox

Lightning cracked in the dark twilight, flashing brightly like fireworks, displaying their beauty and fearsome power. The moon's reddish glow flashed onto the muddy dirt path in the thick forest, highlighting the black hooded priests proceeding in the night, their heads down, and their arms crossed together on their chest, silently walking in formation. In between the cloaked priests, on the sides of the path was the king and queen of the kingdom, the great kingdom of the Kitsune foxes.

There was a worried smile on the queen fox's face, a tear sliding down her orange face onto the fox baby that she carried in her arms, distinguished by his two small orange tails. The king fox looked at her with concern, putting his mighty hand gently upon her shoulder, looking upon his child with a look of fear. He shifted his tail with a nervous twitch, reaching out to gently clutch the queen's hand with his own.

Lightning flashed loudly in the sky again, and the baby began to cry, its shrieks echoing through the dark forest. The queen fox made a hushing sound, whispering gently to her son.

One of the hooded foxes looked up, his eyes on the king. "My lord, surely we should wait till morning? To have your son crying before he is to be presented to the cursed wise woman is not…"

"No, I have waited long enough, Lorenzo!" The queen sharply replied. Her sky-blue eyes glared upon the yellow eyes of the fox, her face a snarl against the black fox's sinister grin.

"My brother, I will not turn back this night." The king told him flatly. "We will let the cursed wise-woman examine our son." The king's voice was gentle, but commanding. He knew his wife and his brother had great distaste for one another, but he had no time for their venom on this important night.

"But two tails, my lord…" Lorenzo warned him. "You know the vixen herself had three, and look what happened to her!"

"Lorenzo!" The king warned him sharply with a growl. Lorenzo tightened his lips, and nodded respectfully.

"As you wish… my king." Lorenzo replied, before his gaze returned forward once more with the other priests.

They had no torches for light, as for the King knew that the cursed wise-woman could only be approached in the dark of night, as was traditional for the divining of every fox. Each step further into the forest made the king even more nervous, his hand squeezing the queen's almost too tightly, and his eyes desperately searching for a sign of the cursed wise-woman's straw hut house with its clothed curtain door, but only seeing trees, trees, and more trees.

Finally, the group spotted a simple hut, and the queen had a small smile on her face, looking down at her son expectantly. Yet the king was dreadfully worried. This was an important part of the Kitsune tradition. Every baby fox born would immediately be carried to the woman for divining into that fox's future. Rarely was the cursed wise-woman wrong, and when she was, her guess was always close.

The procession of priests stopped at the curtain door, shifting to the side, making room for the king. The king motioned to his brother, examining him for a moment. He then gave him a warm smile, placing his strong hand on his shoulder. "As I oversaw the divination of your son and daughter, I wish you to oversee the divination of my own child."

"Dear, no!" The queen argued, giving Lorenzo a fierce glare. "I do not want that man watching this!"

"Please, my wife." The king politely asked her. "Bite your lip of this grudge you have against my brother for this night. For me."

The queen looked at Lorenzo with a searching glare, but Lorenzo's face was an expressionless mask, and she could not decipher anything. Dissatisfied, she nevertheless sighed, and said "Alright."

Lorenzo nodded as the king looked back on him. "You humble me, brother." He said politely, as he followed the king into the straw hut of the cursed-wise woman.

The room was filled with a low red-light, and was completely empty but for a hammock tied to a pole to their left, and the cursed-wise woman, her silver eyes scanning the three of them. Her dark, grey face was wrinkled, immeasurable in years as she leaned in to examine them, her three tails spinning, one grey, one black, and one white.

"_So… you bring me a son?"_ The wise-vixen questioned them, her thoughts entering their head. She already knew the answer. _"You have named him Miles? Ah, but he has two tails! A rarity, which could mark something terrible, something great, or both…"_

"Are you… Are you going to perform the divine ritual?" The king asked nervously. She turned to them, and the king looked away. The vixen rarely spoke, her voice able to sadden and melt the coldest of hearts, calm the fieriest, and bring tears to the strongest. Her eyes were much worse, fierce and yet filled with suffering.

The cursed-wise vixen moaned, a sad note that filled the foxes with an anguish. "I have no choice." The king's heart beat with pain for a moment at the nostalgic, hauntingly beautiful voice, but it quickly passed, as the sound left his mind. He shook his head. No, he had no time to pity this fox.

As the queen carried her son to give to the fox, the cursed vixen suddenly exclaimed "_There is something very dark in the air… All of your lives are going to take a turn for the worse."_

The queen pulled back for a moment, but the wise-vixen waved her hand, telling her to come forward. _"You already have come all this way. Do you not want to see?"_

"I… I think we should go back, my king." The queen said anxiously, walking a few steps back from the vixen.

"No, my king, my brother, finish what you started." Lorenzo pushed him, with an encouraging grin. "This is after all tradition, and the other foxes will be disappointed if the king wasn't… strong enough to divine into his own son's future."

The queen's pleading look was not enough to dissuade him. His stern cold face said the reply as strongly as his words. "Let her do this to our son." He ordered her. The queen hesitated, wanting to plead for her sake, but then a resigned look appeared on her face, and she walked back toward the wise-vixen, slowly handing the woman the child. The cursed wise-vixen's eager hands grabbed the child, pulling it close to her as she gazed steadily into the child's eyes. The king, queen, and Lorenzo closed their eyes, as a grey smoke filled the room, enveloping them.

When they opened them, the three saw they were standing in a grey mist, and the wise woman was looking upon them with a frightening, ancient gaze. "_**Look upon these images," **_The wise woman's voice bellowed through the mist._** "And see your son's fate**_!"

An image of a lightning bolt flashed in the mist, and their ears were filled with the noise of thunder exploding, and then they heard a terrible shriek. It only lasted for a few seconds, the three covering their ears in agony, the queen practically burying herself into the king's chest for reassurance.

Then the image dissipated, and then appeared an image of something they've never seen before, a strange object with weird angles and what appeared to be wings. It had a sharp spinning thing in the front of it. The king scratched his head. "What is this—?"

"_**Silence until the divining is over**_!" The wise-vixen cried. The king heeded her words as the next image came up. This, they recognized as an animal… some blue animal with spikes… the king thought it looked like a hedgehog. He could not remember the last time he had seen such beings. How peculiar.

As the image dissipated, a creature completely alien to all three of them appeared, skipping in what appeared to be a meadow. Her green, plant-like skin baffled the king as he examined it with a sharp eye. The image dissipated, leaving the three foxes even more perplexed.

The next image was oddly familiar to them… it showed a grey fox, with two swords on his belt. His yellow eyes were very much like Lorenzo's. "Could it be… your son, Lorenzo?"

"I… I don't—"

"_**Silence**_!" The wise-vixen's voice boomed through the mist. The image disappeared, and the terrible shriek of thunder and lightning filled their ears. The king nearly yelled in agony, the sound so great and terrible, yet as soon as he blinked, he saw the mist clear, the wise-woman's eyes finally leaving his child, a look of grave fatigue on her face. The queen, having recovered from the initial transition, approached the wise-vixen steadily, and the fox obligingly handed over her child. "_Your son, Miles… he has a most interesting future ahead."_

_"I saw… I did not even understand anything that I saw. What was that… thing? What was that creature? What…?"_

_"I know very few answers, great king."_ The cursed wise-vixen honestly replied, something she rarely would say, or at least, admit_."But I do know that your child is undeniably afraid of lightning."_

As another roar of thunder boomed outside the hut, the child began to cry once more, and the queen rocked the baby gently, soothing him with a gentle voice. _"Do… do you have anything more you can tell me?"_ The king inquired. _"I… this is not enough. I understand nothing!"_

The wise-vixen's eyes stared deep into the king, and the king could not help but look away, pained by the look of her eyes. _"You have an odd child, great king. The two tails is one unexplainable oddity… but the fact that I could not divine very far is another. I saw no death ahead … but your own."_

The queen did not miss the sudden grin on Lorenzo's face, but as quickly as it formed, Lorenzo masked it. There was no use warning her husband.

"Mine…" The king mumbled to himself, a weariness settling on his shoulders.

_"I do know this, great king."_ The wise-vixen told him. _"Your son will be separated from you one day. I am sorry… but I know not why or how."_ The king grimaced, despair crossing his voice, as he held the queen for a moment, before letting go and turning towards the queen, his expression cold and stern once more. The two tails… it was a bad sign, he knew it.

He berated himself inside his head. No, he would not let that defect get the better of him. He would grow up a fine, fox, fit to be king after him.

The king turned to the cursed-wise vixen and bowed respectfully, and the queen and Lorenzo followed suit. "Thank you for your service, wise-vixen." The king thanked her.

_"I had no choice."_ The wise-vixen simply replied. She then disappeared in a puff of mist. Then the lights were blown out.

The hut was completely dark, and the king turned fearfully around. The wise-vixen never turned off her lights like this before. Something had to be amiss. She had known something!

He then heard a scream, and he then realized someone had taken his wife. With a wild cry, he turned around, his elbow out just in time to knock someone back. They growled ferociously, getting ready to charge for another strike.

Yet the king's eyes had adjusted now, and he had a terrible weapon his aggressor did not: 20 years of hard combat experience. He used his tail to grab his antagonist as he tried to reach for his scabbard, and sent him flying behind him, into the walls of the straw hut… which was no longer there…

The king's mind quickly rescanned its place. Likely the cursed wise-vixen had made the hut disappear, not wanting to see the event. Now there was no hiding the face of his opponents. He gasped as he saw two of his hooded escorts grabbing his wife, with another pointing a sword at her neck. Facing him was his own brother Lorenzo, who smiled sinisterly at the shocked king. In Lorenzo's arms was his son. "Brother… what are you doing?" The king asked him, bewildered. "I trusted you!"

"You are in my way for the throne, brother." Lorenzo glared at him. "You should not trust me so."

"But I'm your own blood, brother!" The king begged him. "Please…. do not hurt my family…"

"Then make me king." Lorenzo demanded. "I have planned this for months. I had to kill my own wife to make this work."

The king kitsune hesitated, looking upon the hooded man. Lorenzo's hand gently stroked his son's bangs, sending a chill down the king's spine. He had very few options to make here.

The king then removed his golden crown, but as Lorenzo looked at it greedily, reaching out, he tossed it up in the air, and drew his blade, charging at the hooded men. Startled, they recoiled, hands reaching to grab their blades, but it was too late for both parties. The third hooded man, knowing his death was near, slit the queen's throat as he saw his inevitable end. In a fury, the king thrust the sword into the fox's heart, and then spun around, his tail grabbing the ankles of the others as they dropped their scabbards. He then flung them both into Lorenzo, who dropped his child. An outstretched arm conveniently saved his son from falling to the ground, then lowering him gently.

He then ran toward his wife, but she was already dead, drawing neither pulse nor breath. He would have sobbed right then, holding her in his arms, but anger had more power in him. He turned furiously at Lorenzo, who drew a step back. The enraged king then moved with amazing speed to strike at his brother, tail and hands out to grab him.

Lorenzo parried his brother's blade, but he could do nothing against the powerful tail of the king, which he used like a third blade. The king's tail made Lorenzo fumble on the ground, only to be grabbed by the neck above the ground. The king's eyes stared intently into Lorenzo, with no hint of love that there was before.

"We… are… the same… brother!" Lorenzo desperately tried to remind him. "I…. I did not mean for him to kill your wife!"

The king breathed heavily, raising his blade higher as Lorenzo gasped, preparing himself for the end. The king hesitated, then with one angry growl he brought the sword down…

Slamming it into the earth, right next to Lorenzo's head. Lorenzo turned to it with a fearful experience, highly aware that he was just spared.

The king dropped his brother on the ground, heartbroken, angry, and unsure what justice to administer on him. He tried to recover his breath, while staring at his brother with a terrible loathing."You care more for power… than me?"

"I… I did not want to kill anyone! I… I just wanted a taste of power!" Lorenzo cried. "I thought this would go perfectly—"

"For you?" The king sneered. "Leave, brother! Thank Mother Nature that I'm not finishing you right here! From this point, you are exiled from the kingdom! You may not go to any village of my domain, and you must leave my soil immediately. As a further consequence, for your traitorous actions" His eyes bored down into him deeply as Lorenzo took in a sharp breath of air. "… you shall never see your children again!"

Lorenzo laughed as his brother let him go at last, glaring down upon him. "Bah! You are not worthy of king! You were always too kind!" Lorenzo then backed away, beaten, but not in heart. "I will return, brother! You have not seen the last! I will become stronger! And then, I will kill you and your son!"

Lorenzo ran into the shadows, and as another flash of lightning appeared in the sky, the king heard his son start to shriek and wail with tears. He walked toward his son, holding him in his arm. Then he looked down upon his wife… and he began to sob. The rain drops that fell were just as cold as her skin, but it did not bother him.

He looked at his son. How could he ever tell him this? How could he explain how he watched his mother die, while he was so young? As he looked at him with despair, trying to say something, the night seemed to grow only murkier, the ground soggy, with the blood of the hooded figures seeping into the ground.

No, the king vowed to himself. He would never tell Miles about this night.

Never.

Next time: Four years later in Miles' life…

**A/N: This story is updated every Tuesday and Saturday! (For other readers, don't worry A Tale of Tails and Plants Series will receive updates on Friday, while what remains of Balthazar Storm II will be updated this Thursday, and the next three for its final four chapters!)**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Miles Prower

Five Years Later…

**A/N: Although the # of O.C's drastically wanes after Tails meets Sonic, I may do a call for an original character from YOU now and then! Watch for it!**

"Come on, Miles." A voice roared at him, swinging a practice sword at him, causing the fox to jump back to retaliate. "Strike at me!"

The two-tailed fox looked at the source of the voice with terror, as he braced himself on the training field within a forest. The other fox, Zoran, his older cousin, gave him an exasperated look, as he did a gentle fake to the left with his blade, and then whacked him on his back with the wooden sword.

The grey one-tailed fox sighed, shaking his head as Tails looked at the sword, on the ground. "You're not going to last long, future king, if you can't even defend yourself from your own cousin."

Miles looked up shyly, a little embarrassed. "I'll try harder next time."

"Hmph. You'll have to do more than that. Focus, Miles. You don't get two chances in life."

"Zoran!" A voice called. "Are you badgering Miles again?"

"Great." The fox growled under his breath. "You could use some lessons yourself, Selina." The fox replied.

A fox emerged from her place, standing next to the tree. She had scarlet red fur, and although young, was already displaying much beauty and cleverness for her age. "The way of the sword isn't everything, brother." Selina replied, giving her cousin a grin as she said this. "One must be able to please people as well."

"Well, I'm sure you can try pleasing a bandit about to cut off your head if you sang to him."

"Considering your terrible voice? You'd probably kill him." The two turned to look at their cousin, who was tinkering with something in his hand.

"Eh? What's that, Miles?" Selina asked, peering at the small object, which was made out of leaves and twigs.

The fox shrugged. "I haven't really named it." The fox replied. "I just have this image in my head… of something flying. I just want to make it."

"Where's your brain gone?" Zoran asked, not at all interested in what Tails was making.

"Zoran! Be polite." His sister lightly scolded him. "Come on boys, let's walk up to the castle. It's getting near snack time."

As the three headed up, they had no idea they'd later be separated by a terrible act, less idea at just how this one act would make their very similar lives very, very different.

The young group went from the courtyard to inside the royal hall of Tails' father. The room was built out of marble and brick, with bright chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Steel models of Kitsune knights wielding swords and axes lined the hall, and a great symbol of the sun stood over the throne room door. Selina and Zoran were having a silly conversation as Tails listened to his cousins talk.

"I really do think you need singing lessons, Zoran." Selina teased him. "You sound like a dying cat trying to crow."

"Really?" Zoran replied with a hint of sarcasm. "Thanks. I take pleasure in your compliments."

"Oh, I'm just kidding!" Selina told him. "Although you could use a lesson or two from a professional… like myself."

"Nice try. I'm not falling for another of your money making schemes. You always seem to trick the other boys into…"

The foxes stopped their conversation as they heard shouting from the throne room door. Curious, the three foxes slowly approached it, leaning their ears so they could hear what was going on inside.

As the foxes approached the large, wooden door to the throne room, they heard familiar voices from inside. The three curious foxes pushed their ears against the door, listening to the roaring to what sounded like Tails' father.

"Your highness, I beg you, please listen to my advice. Do not meet with him on your own." They heard someone plead to their father.

"Do not fear, Bartholomew." Tails' father reassured the anxious fox. "You have been my best adviser, and my champion. But I must face him alone."

"My king, I do not mean to keep arguing, but you took his two children from him! Do you not th—"

"He may indeed try to murder me, but rest assured, he has no interest in his children anymore." Tails' father told him. "He killed their mother mercilessly, and in front of their eyes, and I was a fool to forgive him for it. If they disobeyed him, do you not think the same will happen to them?"

"Let me accompany you, at least, my king. Please!" Bartholomew begged.

"I appreciate your concern, but I must do this on my own, Bartholomew." King Prower responded. "Return to your post, and tell our warriors to set up defenses in case I am killed. Most importantly, guard my son, my niece, and my nephew. I doubt he'll hurt his own children, but if I die, he will stop at nothing to kill my son as well."

As the three children heard him get up, they quickly darted away from the wooden door, hiding behind a copper statue of a five-tailed fox holding a sword up in his hand. King Prower walked past them, his nine-tails waving across the ground. His fur was the color of a phoenix's flame, and his eyes were a royal blue. After he opened the doors, exiting the building, they walked back into the halls slowly.

Tails looked at his two cousins with worry. Zoran's face was stricken with fear, having no idea what to think of what he just heard. Selina was sobbing gently, pressing her head into her brother's shoulder. None of them had realized that it was Lorenzo who had murdered their mother. The shock of having a cold hearted, evil brother, made Zoran's eyes wide, unable to utter anything to comfort his sister.

What could Tails say? He tried to grapple with words of comfort, but what possibly would be effective?

The doors of the throne room thrust open, and out came the fox Bartholomew, a single-tailed, red fox with an irritated expression on his face. There was a silver, helmet on his head that covered the sides and the back of his head as while as his nose, leaving his eyes and mouth exposed. He just burst through the hallway, muttering grumpily.

"My king's a fool that he is!" Bartholomew growled. "Why, I'll send a spy after him to make sure he's safe! Heh. As if we have someone able enough to lead when he's dead! Technically, I would have to train that…" He stopped suddenly, having nearly run into the three kits. "Well, if it isn't my king's son, nephew, and niece." He bowed politely, calming himself slightly. "Your father has left to go on an important errand. Why don't you go ask the cook to make you something, or take some rest?"

"Father's going to get hurt!" Miles exclaimed, looking at the champion with wide eyes. "I heard what was said in there! Dad's going to meet a killer!"

"Shhh!" The captain silenced them, his golden eyes scanning over the three, noting Selina's sad look. He reached over his back, and produced a large red flower in his hand, placing it Selina's hands. The red female fox looked up at the kind champion, smiling shyly. "Do not cry, niece of my lord. Here, that flower was for my lady love, but she will be happy to hear it was placed in your hands."

Selina smiled, and he looked upon the king's nephew, Zoran. "Do not do anything irrational fox. I and the rest of the guard will do our utmost best to keep the king alive. I know it is your father out there, but he is evil now. I hope as much as you that he we don't have to kill him."

Zoran nodded fearfully, and the kind champion gave him a gentle pat on the back. "You, Prince Miles, must stay within the fortifications. Lorenzo would gladly have your head, and it is my duty to ensure you are protected. Stay inside!"

The champion's eyes pierced deep into Miles' own, and the fox had to nod. "Good." He drew a small sword from his belt, handing it to the eldest of them, Zoran. "Just in case…" He told him. He then walked past them, bursting through the exit.

The three foxes exchanged looks, grimacing at one another. "So, should we just go to bed?" Selina asked anxiously.

"No, I want to know what's going on out there." Zoran stubbornly told her. Without a further word, the fox ran and burst out the door.

"Zoran!" Selina cried, running through the door after him Miles sighed, before he followed her too, out the door.

Selina and Miles gasped as they saw three kitsune warriors facing them, all three wielding silver halberds, and the tip of the shaft facing their direction. A smirk appeared on their faces as the leader held the squirming Zoran by the neck, his two cohorts laughing at his lame attempts of escape, his sword laying on the ground, next to a bush that lay juxtaposed between the blade and the castle wall.

"Ha ha ha! Son of our true king, why do you resist? We have not come to harm you or your beautiful sister." The leader examined him with an amused look in his face, as Zoran tried to no success to land a fist on the fox. He then placed his own free hand on his fist, slightly twisting it so the young fox would grunt from the pain. He laughed again. "You are quite lucky, little one." Zoran stopped resisting, his eyes studying the leader and his two companions.

"However," The leader continued his eyes on Miles now. "I cannot say the same for him." His sharp teeth appeared in his face as he raised his hand, getting ready to give the order. Miles's eyes widened as he instinctively stepped back.

"Miles, run!" His cousin Selina screamed at him, pushing him away from the guards. Miles began sprinting away, his adrenaline kicking in as he heard the leader's laughter start again.

"Regis, Tarx, catch the brat… and kill him" The leader ordered them calmly. The two men raced after him.

Miles kept running, on the road that leads away from the castle, towards the town center. The road was dirt, and it felt rough for Miles' feet, but on he ran.

Miles chanced looking back, but instantly regretted it as he saw Regis and Tarx flying after him on their feet, their faces expressionless as they neared their prey.

He was near the gate of the town, and a kitsune guard approached him with concern. "Help me!" Miles begged the guard. The guard, puzzled at the sight of the fox, and confused whether it was a game or not, was even more shocked as he saw the two foxes raise their weapons, Regis raising the weapon to messily chop into the guard's side. The man cried in agony as the weapon pierced his inside, falling to his knees. A slam of the butt of the weapon ended his misery.

Miles fumbled with the lock of the gate, but to no avail. He turned around, as the two foxes triumphantly made their way to him, Tarx already raising his blade, bloodthirsty. Miles began to spin his tails worriedly, knowing the end was near.

Suddenly however, the confidence in the two warrior's faces turned into shock, as they looked at Miles, and Miles became confused. Why were they not advancing? Why were they not killing him? Then he realized it.

He was flying.

While he was stressing out, he must have spun his tails fast enough… to fly?

Shocked, Miles stopped spinning his tails, and he fell to the ground with a cry. The two foxes Regis and Tarx began to cackle, raising their weapons again as they approached the fox.

"Pity." The one named Tarx began. "I almost thought you would miraculously get away."

He raised the halberd high, and Miles covered his hands with his eyes.

But the blow never came. Miles opened his eyes to see Captain Bartholomew's blade piercing Tarx's heart, Tarx slowly dying beneath the force. He then released it, facing Regis as the other fox began to engage in melee combat, the two combatants circling each other.

"Miles!" a voice cried. Miles turned to see her and Zoran running toward him. Further behind him appeared an irritated fox, the same fox that had earlier held Zoran by the neck.

"Dang!" The captain roared, his blade parrying the stab of the halberd's point. "You kids get out of here! It's not safe!"

The three hesitated, as they watched the captain push Regis further away from the three, so as that he would not chance a swipe at them. They then complied, rushing to the door.

Miles then remembered it was lock. "We can't get through."

"Let me do it." Zoran told him. He looked into the dead's guard pocket, took out a key, and went to the lock. It opened with a snap as he turned the key, and the door opened slowly.

They ran quickly throw the door, slamming it shut behind them. Yet when they turned around, they gasped at the sight.

Village huts were on fire. A few dead bodies streamed the ground. It was kitsune vs. kitsune everywhere. And straight on, as their eyes looked toward the town center, horrified, they saw the King Prower's blade clashing against the twin blades of Lorenzo, his brother.

Zoran raised the blade Captain Bartholomew had given him, and with one look at each other, the three ran toward the town center, not sure whether they were going to try to stop the conflict or take a side, or even sure if they would make it their alive…

**Will Miles and his friends find his father? Keep reading to find out!**

**Next update around Saturday.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Flight

Miles arrived at the town center horrified as his own father and uncle's blades steel rang against each other as the two moved their swords in a deadly dance, neither holding back, both dancing around the other, waiting to strike the killing blow.

The three watched with wide eyes as fire fell from a hut, near the ground that Lorenzo and King Prower were engaged with the other. Neither as much even paid it a glance as the King's sword just nicked Lorenzo's shoulder blade. The kitsune roared, spinning around to meet the next blow with cold steel.

"Oh, this is terrible!" Selina cried, clutching onto Zoran tightly. "Can't we do something?"

"Father!" Zoran shouted out to the two men. "Father, please, father!"

King Prower turned around, surprised and frightened to hear the voice of Lorenzo's son calling out to him. "Get out of here boy!"

"Do not order about MY son!" Lorenzo fumed to the King. "Neither are your property!" Lorenzo jumped onto a broken wheelbarrow, leaping towards the King with his blades up, causing the King to recoil, blade already ready to meet cold steel.

"You killed their mother in front of their eyes!" The King retorted. "You killed my wife in front of mine! You are not worthy to be anyone's parent!"

Lorenzo snarled, his twin blades doing a ferocious dance as he spun left and right, hardly giving the king a second's notice. The king blocked the blows easily, hoping to tire out Lorenzo, but the fox was not even showing a small hint of fatigue, a sinister grin appearing on his face as he suddenly paused moving forward, taking a step back.

Lorenzo began to cackle, as he looked upon his brother triumphantly. "I'm afraid this is goodbye, brother. It is a pity I have no time to give you any last words."

"I am not bested yet, Lorenzo!" King Prower roared, raising his blade high, ready for a ferocious offensive.

"On the contrary!" Lorenzo replied, and with that, he threw one blade righter over the King's head. As the king's eyes went above, Lorenzo did not waste a second in rushing ahead, causing the King to ready his blade just in time.

Yet Lorenzo was not moving to slice him, but to kick him. The king recoiled, surprised at this change in strategy as Lorenzo's second blade came down from the air, just missing the King's arm. Lorenzo then tackled the fox to the ground, grabbing the second blade with his hand as their two bodies crashed against the ground, near the flames that had landed below the first hut.

The king found himself with two blades pressed against his neck.

"It is a pity… that it has come to this…" The King told him, his eyes growing watery, his sword arm growing limp, letting the sword drop to the ground.

For a brief moment, Lorenzo hesitated, looking at his brother with pity for a moment. Then his expression turned to contempt as he raised the twin blades, driving the cold steel deep into the King's chest.

The king gasped for air that would not come, and then he let out his last breath.

Selina screamed as she saw the King killed before her eyes, and Miles could hardly breathe. The three stood there, feet put in place as Lorenzo looked down upon his brother.

Then he turned around, to gaze upon the three young foxes, and a malicious glare entered his eye. "Slay the king's son, my children! Only then will the throne be ours!"

Selina looked at Miles worriedly, and then gazed at her brother, who had not turned his eyes away from his father.

"You don't believe him, do you?" Lorenzo continued, walking toward them as all three of them walked forward. From the shadows, several hooded kitsunes appeared, carrying bows, their hands reaching for an arrow.

Lorenzo's eyes looked into Zoran, who had still not turned his eyes. "Your mother died of sickness, not from my hand. Son, don't you believe me?"

Miles knew if he didn't run then, he was a goner.

"You are no father of mine!" Zoran roared, grabbing a blade from his belt and rushing toward Lorenzo. Now it was father and son who were clashing, Lorenzo laughing at the change of events.

"Selina, get Miles out of here!" Zoran demanded, as he aggressively pounded blade for blade against Lorenzo. One of the Kitsunes fired an arrow at Zoran.

"Do not harm him! Get Miles!" Lorenzo roared as he struggled to parry the frenzied Zoran's thrusts with his blade.

Miles took this moment to run, grabbing his cousin's hand to run back toward the castle.

They ran through the gate, and to Miles relief, the captain's body was not one of the corpses that lay near the ground.

"Oh, hurry Miles!" Selina told him worriedly as he scanned the bodies one last time. "I don't know how far behind they are!"

The sky was dark now, the moon bright in the sky as the grey clouds covered it. The chill in the air made the two shiver as they raced toward the house. An arrow went right past Miles as he ran, and he turned around to see four of Lorenzo's archers reaching for their arrows as they chased after the foxes.

The castle then emerged in sight, just two hundred yards away. "Miles!" Selina stated worriedly as the archers began to cover more ground, and another arrow went right over the female fox's head.

"Not his daughter, you fool!" One of Lorenzo's kitsunes roared. "He will have our head if we kill her!"

The two hundred yards was covered quickly, but the fox's terror only increased as they went inside the castle, slamming the door behind them, placing a wooden plank on the handles.

On the other side, they heard pounding on a door. The two foxes breathed deeply as their pursuers began to pound right through the door. Miles turned to look at his cousin, whose chest was rising up and down so quickly.

"Oh, Miles!" She sobbed, despair seeping into her heart as Miles grabbed a torch from the wall. "So much death is out there! And the king! The king's dead! That means…"

"I'm not a ruler, Selina." Miles told her bluntly. "I'm not ready!"

"I know, this is horrible!" His cousin cried, tears dripping down her eyes.

A boom was heard on the door, and Selina shrieked, pressing her body to the door. Miles knew there was no use now. They had to keep running.

"Come on!" He told her. He grabbed her hand, as he raced through the halls.

They began to run through the chandelier lit hall, the rows of kitsune knights haunting them, as for they wore the same armor as their pursuers. A few seconds later, they heard the door falling on the castle floor, the noise echoing throughout the complex that the two were running through.

Tails ran down the stairs, towards the castle's dungeon. There was little light as he ascended, and he turned back to see a hesitating Selina. "Come on Selina!" He told her, his feet still moving down the stairs. "There's no—"

Suddenly the ground came free underneath him as he stepped off the stairs and onto the wooden platform.

"Miles!" Selina screamed, but to no avail. The fox had failed to grab the stairs in time.

Miles' heart filled with an emptiness as he fell…

And landed on a pack of hay.

His torch lay on the ground near him, and he picked it up, examining the room. Gold chests laid on one side, with priceless treasure packed alongside the stone wall. Yet what really caught the fox's eye was a shimmering light, which was surrounded by a gold circle, which one could walk up to with the three steps of stairs that lay underneath it.

Miles approached it steadily, walking up the steps, and look at the shimmering light. It showed a picture of a forest near a beach, and he could see waves gently brushing up against the shore.

"Miles, they're coming! They're…"

"Hush girl!" Miles heard a voice cry. "You should be grateful you are your father's daughter." There was a pause. "Find the fox, and kill him!"

Miles' breath was caught. How long would it be before they found him?

Worried, he turned back toward the light. What was it? As he curiously looked at the light, he felt an urge to put his hand through it as he reached out to touch the light. Suddenly, he felt his whole body having a sudden impulse to lurch forward, and Miles began to cave in. He pushed himself through the shimmering light…

He was spinning. Everything was white, and things to become dizzy as he spun faster and faster. Slowly, his eyes began to close, and everything was enveloped in darkness.

**A/N: Will Tails be okay? Find out next chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

_A whole new land_

_An image of a grey, wrinkled faced fox appeared in his mind, which possessed a grey, black, and white tail. They seemed to weave a spell on his eyes, fastening his eyes on the female fox's face. There was an expression of horror on her face, as her eyes opened up wide._

_"Now I can see!" Her mouth uttered, as tension filled his heart. "Everything makes sense at long last…"_

Miles began to cough, and his eyes fluttered open. He nearly gasped as he looked at the sight above him. He was on beach sand, and he heard some odd cry from an unidentifiable source in the air. He turned his head to the coastline, listening to the soft sounds of the waves crashing against the shore.

Where was he? Who was that wrinkled old vixen in his dream? What did it mean that she could now see? Was he even safe? All these questions buzzed in Tails mind as he examined the palm trees with a confused look.

Miles stood up, trying to search for a castle, for an enemy lurking within the trees. Yet there was nothing, no hushed breathing, not even a tap on the ground. The only sound Tails heard was water gently caressing the beach sand.

He walked towards the water slowly, his feet pounding on the beach sand, imprinting their shape. He slowed himself as he entered the gentle water, and then collapsed on his knees, sobbing as he covered his face with his hands.

The image of his father's face as Lorenzo's twin blades plunged into his chest came into Miles' head as the tears began to mix with the salty water. Zoran, charging furiously at his brother with his blade, Selina's voice ringing from the top of the stairs in the dungeon as he fell, the three of their voices singing in harmony—all of this came into this kitsunes mind, as he began to play everything that had ever occurred there.

Several minutes later, the fox's head was down as he began to move his feet from the water, walking back to where he started. He looked far up in the distance, hoping for just one sign of something from home, but all he saw was a volcano near the center of the island. Tails sighed heavily as the tears continued to fall down his chest, resting his body against the trunk of a palm tree. No one responded to his weeping, and occasionally he would look up anyway, hoping, just hoping he wasn't alone.

A hushed wind blew against his fur, making the fox shiver. He wrapped his arms around himself, lying against the sandy ground.

The fox uttered one last groan, before closing his eyes, hoping that it was all just a dream…

_Miles opened his eyes. He was lying on the ground, a grey mist enveloping him. He stood up, gazing around him with curiosity. Where was he?_

_"So, you are back?"A voice said within the mist. The fox looked to his left, to his right, but there was no one._

_"Behind you, young one." The voice instructed him. Miles turned behind him, and there she was, the grey wrinkled vixen with three tails._

_"Who are you?"Miles asked her. _

_The old vixen let out a groan, a sad, melodious sound that made Miles heart fill with pity. "Chosen one, I am the cursed wise-vixen of your father's kingdom. I predict the prophecies of infants as tradition dictates, yet Mother Nature has connected our minds for the moment."_

_"Excuse me for asking," The fox began politely. "But why are you… cursed?"_

_The old vixen moaned, as if letting out a great fatigue. "I am sorry, chosen one, but it has been so long, too long for me to remember."Her eyes closed for a moment, the wrinkles on her face making her seem even more ancient for a moment._

_"Er… my name's Miles, not chosen one." Miles corrected her._

_"Destiny says otherwise, chosen one." The cursed-vixen told him. "Do you even realize how great your future will be?"_

_Tails shook his head. The cursed wise-vixen's eyes began to bore into a fox for a moment, and then she groaned once more, with her sad voice that filled Miles with nostalgia._

_"I am forbidden to say much more than this, chosen one. Yet you hold an important place in the world's fate. Your decisions, destructive or constructive, selfish or empathetic, will shape the entire universe."_

_"I'm going to be… powerful?" Miles asked, afraid and perplexed. "Oh, but I'm not cut out for something like this! I'm just an ordinary fox stuck in the middle of nowhere! You must have got the wrong fox."_

_"You are indeed him, but I see great tragedy on your road," The wise-vixen continued, her voice booming through the fog. "On your life's path, you will struggle against overwhelming forces, but the ones that threaten your destiny the most are the inner ones."_

_"What?" Miles asked, confused. "You're not making any sense."_

_"Listen, young one, there isn't much time left for me to speak with you!" The cursed-wised vixen pleaded, her voice rising as she continued. "You must remember, oh you must remember to never give up! What you will inevitably lose can be regained only with a…"_

Miles awoke against the tree. Despair filled his heart as he realized he was still in the same place he was earlier, on the beach sand, in an unknown location, away from everything he loved.

The fox rose, sighing as he pressed a claw against the tree, drawing a symbol to help mark his location. "There's no use standing around, I guess." Miles told himself, breathing in deeply as he began to explore, stepping through a dense pack of shrubs as he contemplated his dream.

As the fox began to walk thoughtfully through the island, he failed to hear a silent step of a hunter slowly making their way toward the prey…

**A/N: Much shorter, but the next five are certainly going to be lengthy. Three O.C's appear next chapter, two are not mine and are credited to Lili. Reviews appreciated, particularly for this. I need all the suggestions I can get.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

**Ambushed**

**A/N: Copyrights at end of chapter.**

Miles let out a yelp of pain as he stepped onto a thorn for the third time since venturing from the coastline. This particularly thorn had stung deep into Mile's skin, and as he yanked the thorn out with his paw, blood oozed from his feet.

Miles sighed as he grabbed a few leaves from the earth to serve as a band-aid, wrapping them around his feet to protect them from infection. "This feels really stupid." Miles commented after he finished.

He then jerked his head up, after hearing a sound from the bushes. Noise! At last! Surely, if this was a friendly encounter it would be a cause to rejoice!

Miles turned his head toward the bush, wondering whether he should approach it carefully or just call them on out.

His confidence failed him, and for a moment, he took a step back. He paused for several seconds, listening to his breathing, his lungs rising and falling as the seconds ticked by. After several minutes, the fox sighed, and then turned around.

He didn't even take a step before he felt a force slam against his back, making him topple to the ground near a tree trunk. He instinctively tried to turn himself around, but he regretted as soon as he did so, coming face to face with a white tiger standing near a group of shrubs.

"Ha! So I caught you at last!" The tiger said, a smile creeping on her face. "Ha! I almost thought you would be a challenge, you two tailed-fox! Funny, never saw a cweature with two tails before! No… ha, but I caught you! I caught you! Guys, did you see me? I pounced him on well, didn't I? Oh, I sure did!" She was bouncing up and down as she praised herself, making Miles wonder if he had stumbled on a fate worse than death.

"Tyler, please, can we get rid of her?" A voice roared from the bushes. Slowly, two animals emerged from the bushes, one an orange-furred cat, the other a weasel with light-brown fur and a white tipped tail.

"Oh, you awen't jealous awe you?" The tiger ranted on. "It's just a fox. I mean, anyone can capture a fox. Maybe I'll teach you, and then you won't have to be so jealous! You can catch one too! Ah, but you still have a long way to go before you can be as good as me! Funny, that weminds me of—" The tiger was completely oblivious to how angry she was making the cat.

"That's it!" The cat snarled, her paw brushing her fiery-red shoulder length hair as she raised it. "If you don't hush, I'm going to…"

"Lilijana, please!" The weasel soothed her, his hand on her shoulder blade. "She doesn't mean to infuriate you so!"

"Someone please kill me." Miles said to himself.

The tiger stopped jumping, and looked at him curiously as Lilijana began to move toward the fox. "No, let me approach him first." The weasel stated, his eyes locked on the cats for a moment, before he approached the fox cautiously, hands ready for any tricks.

"Who are you, and what is your purpose here?" The weasel demanded. "Speak quickly if you value your life. We've already been attacked by mercenaries, and have no patience this morn."

The words were choked in Tails' throat for a moment as he struggled to speak, but after taking a deep breath, the nerve came to him. "My name's Miles. I arrived here by accident."

"Miles?" The tiger interjected, surprised. "What a bowing name! I was expecting something gwander, or more logical, but Miles? Hmm… why don't we call you Tails! That fits so much better!"

"Please, for everyone's sake, Rosaline, can you please let me interrogate our captive without you commenting every second?"

"Yes, I'll be quiet as you ask Tails questions, and I'm pwetty—"

"Thank you, Rosaline." The weasel interrupted. "I'm sorry Miles,"

"Tails!" Rosaline interjected.

"Rosaline!" The weasel said, exasperated. "Please, I do not think any one of us can take another interruption." He looked at the cat Lilijana as he said this, noting her stealthy movements towards the back of the white tiger. He turned back to Miles. "I'm sorry… do you mind being called Tails?"

"You might as well now." The fox resignedly replied.

"I don't understand… you say you arrive here on accident?"

"Yes," Miles affirmed. "I'm not sure how, I hardly remember anything."

"Will you detail the events, please? I am sorry, but we don't entirely trust you right now." The weasel told him politely.

"I wouldn't mind a good fight right now." Lilijana put in. "But I think you're better off not getting on our bad side."

Miles nodded, and closed his eyes for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts. He heard his cousins' screaming in his head, then Lorenzo's triumphant cry as he killed his own brother, Miles own father…

"No, I am sorry, but please do not let me talk about it right now." Miles begged him, his voice having suddenly risen in volume. "It is too painful for me right now." The fox was practically trembling, a lone tear streaking down his eye.

The weasel was taken aback, turning to look at his two companions. Lilijana shrugged her shoulders. "Looks harmless enough, love." She assured him while approaching Tails to give him a gentle pat on his shoulder.

The weasel sighed, and then reached out his hand for Miles to take. "The name is Tyler. Tyler Reed. It's nice to meet a friendly face in these parts."

"I'm Lilijana, a Maine Coon cat, and Tyler's fiancé." Lilijana informed him. She looked over the fox with a worried look. "You look tired. You seem a bit too young to be out on your own like this."

"There are crazier things I've gone through recently." Miles responded seriously. The cat made no further comment.

The tiger then pushed the cat out of the way, as she shook Miles hand roughly. "I'm Wosaline, the gweat white tiger of this island! I don't know why I'm here either! Hey, you should stay with us!"

"No, Rosaline, we can't baby-sit a young kid as we travel!"

"Tyler," Lilijana began to argue. "It's dangerous to be alone out here, for any one of us. This fox is away from family, lost, and obviously has gone through a lot of suffering. Please love; let us take him with us."

The cat took the weasel's hand as she pleaded with him, and soon the weasel sighed, turning back to the fox. "Alright, but only because you really want this." He then gave Miles a serious glare. "But if you betray us, if you do anything to hurt my dear Lilijana, you'll get what you deserve, got it?"

"Got it." Miles assured him, grateful to be in the presence of others. He shook Tyler's hand, and the weasel began to smile.

"Great." Tyler said, looking back towards the group. "Well, its clear there's no retreating mercenaries to be found, so let's go back to town. You'll definitely want a place to rest for the night."

"Oh, gweat!" Rosaline began to rejoice. "This makes four! Oh, I can alweady see the gweat adventures we will—"

To no surprise to any of them, Lilijana's leg soon was seen kicking the tiger's backside. "Oomph." The tiger huffed as the air was knocked out of her.

"I know you're an odd sort, tiger, but please, please for your best interest, CAN YOU SHUT UP!"

Miles found that Rosaline, the white tiger who had complete lack in social skills, was an unnatural explorer. No bush or tree could hinder her; she could race up trees, soaring through the air to go above them. Lilijana and Tyler would sigh as they watched this, having to take the route that required more work, climbing the tree, and then descending the tree slowly.

Miles had not forgotten the incident in which he had flown up in the air. As he looked up the tree, he thought about trying it, but as the two were on their descent of the tree, he decided against it. There would be time later, when he was alone. He climbed on after them, his muscles aching as his arms reached for branches, and then let out a breath as he started the descent, catching up to the three.

"Where exactly are we going," Miles asked later, as he noticed the forest becoming a bit less dense.

"Wait a few more seconds, and you'll see for yourself." Tyler told him as Rosaline leaped between two fallen tree trunks, causing Lilijana to grumble under her breath.

After the three had climbed over the tree trunks, Tails then noticed smoke coming from somewhere. He then looked around excitedly as the forest began to end, and the party stepped out onto a clearing, revealing a town like none Tails had ever seen before.

"This… this is futuristic!"

Tyler shrugged his shoulders at Miles' surprise, and then patted his shoulder. "Well, welcome to town."

**A/N: From this point on, I will refer to Miles as Tails, except in appropriate circumstances. **

**All credits to Lili for Lilijana and Tyler. Rosaline is my creation from Star-Crossed Lovers.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

The last free town

Tails looked upon the buildings with a dumbfound expression on his face. All sorts of animals he had never seen before, lions, bears, sloths, bats, turtles, and so many others were intermingling in one place. Most surprising of all was the modern look of the house. Tails put his hand on the material, feelings its firmness. It was made of no marble, that was certain.

"Can you stop doing that?" Lilijana said irritated. "You look like you have an I.Q. of 50."

"I meet someone with such an I.Q." Rosaline began. "Oh, the poor man. Kept mumbling and wambling about nonsense all the time. But don't feel bad, fwiend. The world would be silly if evewyone was smart…"

"Ahem." Rosaline stopped talking as she noticed a white haired turtle approach the group, a thick, light colored burly mustache on his face. "Mrs. Jefferson-Riley, Mr. Reed, and Mrs…"

"Just Wosaline." Rosaline informed him. "Don't know my last. No one ever had told…"

"Right." The turtle continued over her. He probably knew her well, Tails observed. "Is this one of the mercenaries you captured?" He picked out a pair of spectacles out of his pocket and put them on to better examine Tails.

"Nay, mayor, this is a lost boy we found in the forest." Tyler Reed told him. "He claims to have come from somewhere very far from here on accident."

"And you believe this fox?" The mayor asked him, shocked and angry. "Mr. Reed, we've been attacked three times in the last two days, and twice those mercenaries have brought some of that Robotnik's machinery along. We're the last town outside the control of that darn scientist's empire and one slip could change all of that!"

"Don't worry, I'm no spy or mercenary." Tails reassured him. "I don't even know where I am."

"He's only a boy." Lilijana piped up for him. "Do you really think that scientist you keep mentioning would be so low to coerce a boy to spy or attack this town?"

The mayor's snarl slowly relaxed, as he sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "I've had a bad today, that's all. Great, here comes Captain Giovanni. Hopefully he's got some good news."

A muscular, golden lion with a rich red mane approached them, carrying a much smaller female lion cub on his shoulders. Tails looked at the sword and unknown tool/weapon attached to his belt. "Mayor." The lion bowed, as the turtle nodded his head, motioning him to continue. "We've driven the small force out, but I lost a man, got two injured." A painful look crossed his face for a moment, as the lion let his cub down. "It's been a rough day."

"Well, at least they're gone." The mayor told him. "I'm doubling the strength of our patrols until things get easier."

"And if they don't?" The lion asked. "It might be better if we call for a ship to evacuate us out, to save lives."

"You know as well as I do that is not an option." The mayor retorted. He then took a deep breath. "I've thought about it, but it is impossible. That scientist has air vehicles no one else has. Our only scientist working on it got killed by the mercenaries, and our others have no skill in that area." He looked away for a moment, at the kids playing on the swings. "We have to fight it here to the death."

The mayor then looked down for a moment, and smiled at the cub. "Hello Mr. Mayor." The female cub told him.

"Hello Balthazar." The mayor returned in kind. "Are you being a good daughter?"

"Yes, very." The girl beamed. "I'm going to be just like daddy when I grow up."

"I should have made her more feminine." The captain groaned. "Given her a girls name at least. If only her mother…" The lion paused, waved a hand, and then reached for his daughter, nodding his head to signal a farewell to the mayor.

"I forgot he lost her long ago…" The mayor mumbled under his breath, looking at the sunset in the horizon, the night's chill blowing against all of their spines.

"Can we talk now?" Rosaline asked. "I noticed not one of us was talking while they were having their convewsation."

"It's very polite to be quiet." Lilijana told her. "You should practice more often."

"Oh, but it is…" Rosaline began, until Lilijana snapped her mouth shut with her hands.

The mayor sighed, and looked over Tails one more time. "What's your name, pal?"

"Tails!" Rosaline opened her mouth. Lilijana accordingly covered it with her hand.

"Tails." The fox sighed quietly. The mayor laughed for a moment as he saw the fox's double tails, but then saw how rude it was coming across.

"Oh, accept my apologies. We don't get many… two-tailed people, if you get my point. Hmm. I trust you fox, but one mistake and you're going to suffer a fate worse than death, understand kid?"

Tails nodded his head seriously. The mayor relaxed then. "Well, you look exhausted. I suppose you can take our dead scientists home. He's got all sorts of books and papers he was making about this air technology. No one can understand it, so you can clean it up if you want." He sighed as he fumbled in his pocket, and then produced a key. "This should open all the house doors. Lilijana and Tyler will show you where it is."

"Oh, can I stay with him the first night!" Rosaline asked the mayor. "He may need company… I always get scared on my first nights!"

"Fine." The mayor said. "Now, I've got business to get to. I'll call you Tyler if we've got any more trouble tonight. Lilijana, you signed up for night patrol tonight, correct?"

"Yes, and I'll be there." Lilijana told him. The mayor smiled, and then walked away from them.

"Lili," Tyler began. "I thought we agreed that you weren't going to do this."

"While you can keep risking your own neck?" Lilijana said almost angrily.

"We agreed."

"I changed my mind."

"How do you change your mind? We talked about this!"

"Tyler, you can't worry about me all the time. You have to trust me."

"Mmm… I smell fish! Can we go get some fish? Can we?! Can we?! C—"

"SHUT UP ROSALINE!" They both said at the same time.

"We'll talk about this later." Tyler continued, not wanting to yet admit Lilijana was making progress on him. "I'm sure Tails is exhausted right now."

The four of them began to walk through the street. Tails noted that it was quieter on this side of town. He saw a bit more trees around, which made him feel a bit better. Except for the castle, his old home was filled with trees everywhere, inside and outside.

The four stopped as they noticed a scientist leaning against a door, a bear wearing a cowboy-like hat. He glared at the three. "I'm sorry, but the owner of this house is dead, and to be blunt, was never expecting any visitors."

"I'm Tyler Reed, and I'm escorting my companion Tails here. He'll be spending his nights here for a while."

"Hmph. Doesn't look like a scientist." The bear judged. "Probably doesn't understand the first thing of our work. Kid, do you know how important I am here?"

"What's your name again?" Lilijana teased the bear.

"It's Brock!" The bear raged, banging a claw against the wall. "Don't forget it!" He glared at the cat as she began laughing, then turned to the fox. "I'm the weapon maker here. The weapons I design are employed by our armies. If it weren't for me, we'd all be dead."

"We haven't forgotten your importance." Tyler informed him, putting a protective arm around Lilijana.

"You better not." The bear growled as he began to walk away. "I hold the key to this town's fate." His feet pounded against the grass. Tyler waited for him to be out of site before he spoke again.

"Stay away from him if you can, kid." Tyler suggested to him. He then pulled out the key the mayor had given him. "Here, don't lose it. Rosaline you can stay with him, me and Lilijana have stuff to talk about."

Tails, having no idea what to do with the key, gave it to Lilijana to open the door, who sighed, opened it, and gave it back to the fox."You say stuff," Rosaline began. "But you weally mean that awgument you were just—"

"In you go!" The annoyed cat Lilijana pushed the tiger into the building as Tails walked in after her, shrugging his shoulders as the door was slammed after them.

"Geez, what an attitude." Rosaline commented. "Sewiously, what's her pwoblem. Always pushing and shoving. Tyler's got a handful, that's for sure. Hey, Tails, where awe you going?"

The fox Tails looked around the scientist's home. There were sketches everywhere as his curious eyes greedily gazed upon everything, wanting to catch all the intricate detail. Soon, his eyes stopped moving, looking at a picture that caught his eyes. There were clouds, and there was some object sailing through the air.

"Oh, that's an air vehicle." Rosaline told him. "We awe twying to make a unique one of our own, but he died before he could finish it. All that stuff's gibbewish to me. Yep, gibbewish."

"It actually… makes sense." Tails stated. He picked up a pencil, and started erasing a number. "I think if he doubled this…"

"Hey, you hungwy" Rosaline asked. "I found a fwidge, and hey, fish!"

Tails, tired, decided to come back to the sketch, noting the books stacked to it. "Alright, I'll come."

The scientists obviously had bad choice in food. Tails was too hungry to complain about the fish's taste. Rosaline had a huge stomach for the smelly, not very tasty fish, having gobbled twice as much of it as himself, her claws dirty with the liquid of the fish, some of it dripping on the floor. As they ate, Rosaline informed the fox of the refridgerator, the cabinets, the stove, and what they where. There was no table or chairs in the room. "Hey, I found knapsacks in a woom." Rosaline informed him as they finished their meal. "I'm tiwed, so I'm sleeping now. You coming?"

"In a moment." Tails told her. The tiger was already bounding away anyway.

The fox sighed, threw away the bones of the fish in a trashcan, and went back to examine the air vehicle. "The plane… the equations… they're all so familiar somehow…" Tails thought to himself. He stood there, looking at the plane, having this great feeling that he could build it, looking at the equations, knowing he could change it so that it would work. He recalled dreams, dreams of building something great. The numbers in his dreams were just like these. He thought it had to do with his tails, but perhaps… perhaps it was a vision?

Tails shook his head, leaving the room. There were no such things as visions, although as he thought this he couldn't think of the cursed wise-vixen who was in his dreams.

He did understand the math though even before the dreams. He had always had skill with surveying things, and his father had asked for his aid once or twice, even giving him a teacher, who was amazed at his abilities. Both, he knew, where likely dead now, and the thought wasn't a pleasing one.

As Tails climbed up the stairs back to the bedroom, where the two knapsacks were, he was surprised to see that Rosalinda was still wide awake, staring at the door. Her eyes only moved slightly to look up at him as he entered, and then look back down.

"Having a hard time sleeping?" Tails asked her. The tiger nodded.

"Don't wowwy, it's nothing odd. I've never slept easy." The tiger told him.

"Why's that?" Tails asked her. The tiger shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm not weally sure." The tiger told him, looking up at the ceiling now. "I just want to keep thinking. There's so much more to discuss, to talk about, to learn in this world. I know I'm a funny tiger, I can't even pwonounce my own name wight!" The tiger had a smile on her face for a moment, but then her face twisted with pain, her eyes drooping with a sadness. "That's why my pawents abandoned me. I was too much for them! I can't even speak wight! Wosalinda… no, Woawosalinda… no… Wosa…"

"Rosalinda." Tails aided her.

"Yes… Wrosalinda." The tiger sighed, shrugging her shoulders. "Sorry if I'm embawwasing myself, but I just can't speak well with…"

"R's?" Tails finished for her. The tiger nodded.

"Yes. It's fine at the end of words, but anywhere else… well, you've heard enough to know that now. I can live with it though. Always have and all. Never been too hard for good old Wosalinda."

The tiger studied Tails for a moment. "What is it?" Tails asked the tiger.

"You aren't nowmal either, are you?" The tiger asked him. "I know I can't speak well, and I make evewyone hate me, but you seem even stwanger! I mean, you did appear out of nowhere. Suwely you have a past?"

"It's… pretty complex to share, Rosaline." Tails told her.

"Come on!" The tiger encouraged him. "I pwomise I won't intewupt! Please? I'll be as quiet as a mouse!"

Tails laughed, but then his face grew serious. He looked pityingly upon the tiger for a moment, sighed, and then told her his story.

Tails found the tiger's reactions to be quiet funny. Rosalinda held her silence up to the point to when Tails was attacked by once loyal men of his father, but Tails understood that this tiger was odd like him, although in an entirely different way. And he knew the tiger wasn't trying to be rude, but kind and friendly.

Tails felt he had found his first good friend as he finally rounded up his story, telling about what he felt as he wandered the beachy sands of this mysterious place. Fatigued, the tiger yawned, and looked up at Tails with appreciative eyes.

"See, you're not much diffewent than the west of us!" Rosalinda pointed out to him. "I mean, Lilijana's an illegitimate woyal child. Oh, but don't say anything to her. I overheard her and her fiancé talking about it. It's supposed to be some secwet, but she doesn't see that we are all oddities." The tiger girl sighed, looking back up at the ceiling. "She weally hates me."

"No she doesn't." Tails reassured her. "You're a unique, but cool person Rosalinda." The tiger smiled, turning to look at Tails. "Thanks for listening to my story, too."

"Fwiends listen to fwiends, wight?" The tiger inquired him. Tails nodded, and the two shared a smile for a moment, before settling into their blankets.

Tails looked at the ceiling, smiling as he closed his eyes, slowing his breathing. His last thought before he fell asleep was on the designs of the plane, which he knew could be created.

And he would be the one to do it.

**A/N: Yep. A fox who desires to build an airplane, a tiger with impaired speech, an engaged couple, all hold a part in the future of this town. If this was real life in a crisis, we'd say it's over. But that's because we're all idiots.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

**The development of genius**

Another update to the increasingly popular epic.

"Stop that wacket! Ah, the noise, the noise! It's worse than… that you Tails?" Rosaline the tiger recoiled at the sight of Tails, operating the scientist's many parts of machinery, currently holding a saw in his hand as he neatly cut through aluminum alloy. "Um… I thought you didn't know anything about technology in this place?"

Tails shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I certainly understand this scientist's work." He replied. He pointed over to the books, walking over them proudly. Rosaline looked baffled as he read from them, understanding all of the scientist's madness.

He had woken up hours earlier, reading them through the dark early morning as the tiger slept soundly in the room. It had been a restless night for the fox, tossing and turning in the knapsack to the point of falling off as the images of flames, Lorenzo stabbing his father, and his loyal kitsunes chasing after him with their lethal weapons filled and enveloped his dreams. The fox had crept silently to the scientist's inventions after getting up from the cold floor, anxious to do anything to get his mind off his home, and curious about his work.

"Eh? What's that?" Rosaline asked, pointing to a red spinning object connected to several rotating gears.

"That's a propeller." Tails told her. "Or at least, that's what the books say it is." His eyes looked triumphantly at the work.

"I don't wemember that being here yesterday." Rosaline commented. "No, it couldn't have been here at all."

"It wasn't." Tails admitted. "I built it along with that nose some time ago." Tails sighed for a moment, looking out the window. "I don't think it would take me long to build it."

Rosaline beamed in admiration at Tails work, and then jumped excitedly at a knock at the door. "Ah, it's our pals." The tiger declared. She opened the door to see Lilijana and Tyler appear in the doorway. "Hello Lilijana, Tyler. Did you sleep well? I slept beautifully. Although this place has an odd smell to it…"

"You sleep okay Tails?" Tyler Reed interrupted her.

"Somewhat." Tails muttered.

"He got up pwetty early." Rosaline added. "Look at all the stuff he's been building." She ushered them inside, as Tyler and Lilijana gasped at Tails work with shock, making Tails blush with embarrassment.

"I thought you weren't from here!" Tyler Reed inquired him.

"I'm not!" Tails said with all honesty. "I just somehow… understand."

"A four year old… making a plane?" Tyler said, disbelievingly. "Heh, if I wasn't seeing it with my own eyes…"

"You're a real prodigy!" Lilijana commented.

"We've got to let the Mayor know about this." Tyler told them. "If you can build that plane Tails… we just might have a fighting chance!"

Tails, only truly desiring to leave this place through his invention, suddenly became frightened, but resigned as the cat and mongoose dragged him out of the door as Rosaline the tiger began jumping merrily around them.

The air felt cool as Tails followed Lilijana and Tyler towards the center of town. The streets were much busier than they had been yesterday, and the town was surprisingly calm. "How was night patwol, Lilijana?" Rosaline asked her friend.

"Uneventful." Lilijana told her. "No attacks from robots or mercenaries. We're still free yet."

"That's fantastic. Maybe I should twy signing up again! I bet he'd take me on now!"

"I don't know, Rosaline." Lilijana slyly replied. "One must be a master of not talking."

"Not talking?" Rosaline asked. "Aww… that's really hard. My uncle twied really hard to stay quiet, and then one day, a boy ran into him. That poor boy, I do believe that—"

"Why don't you start practicing right now, and if you can stay quiet for eight hours, you'll be on." Lilijana told her. Rosaline accordingly silenced herself. Tails noted the grin on Lilijana's face.

"You shouldn't treat that tiger like that." Tyler chastised her quietly.

"Do you want her getting your patrol group killed?" Lilijana whispered back.

"No." Tyler muttered, watching Rosaline practically walk alongside them with her mouth covered by both her hands. "But she's making us look stupid." Tyler looked around him, peering through the crowd. "Now where's that darn mayor?"

Tails' mind was nervously racing throughout their conversation, and he too began to search for the mayor, already preparing his plea to just go home. Once again, the variety of species baffled his eye, but soon he found the creature he was looking for, drinking a glass of water as he shook hands with the merchants selling products on the town plaza.

"There he is, over there." Tails pointed out to the group. The others turned and followed Tails as he rushed toward the turtle.

The mayor was having a conversation with someone slightly familiar to Tails. "I said no and I mean no, Brock.

The bear growled in frustration. "But think how much stronger our army would be if we seized the enemy technology. If we use that invention from Eggman …"

"No, Brock. I've already ordered the general to destroy it, and I'm not changing my mind. It is one thing to put the safety of people in jeopardy by staying here, but by turning our soldiers into mindless robots?"

"Surely we can find a way to reverse it." Brock waved his hand. "But the power, mayor. That's what we need, that's all that…"

"You are dismissed Brock." The mayor retorted. The bear snarled one more time, giving him a harsh glare before walking off, pushing Tails aside.

The turtle sighed, then turned around and saw the group. "Ah, Lilijana and Tyler… and that tiger of yours."

"I smell fish!" Rosaline cried suddenly. "Oh, I'm sowwy, Lilz, I couldn't hold it! I had to—ow!" Lilijana had grabbed the tiger's shoulders and raised her above her in a rage. Her eyes looked deep into Rosaline's.

"Don't… ever… call me Lilz." Lilijana warned her.

"Okay Lilz, I'll twy not to…"

"Mrs. Jefferson-Riley, control yourself!" The turtle scolded her as she raised a fist at the tiger. "Rosaline, stay quiet. Now, if you didn't need anything…"

"Actually, Mr. Mayor, we have great news to share with you." Tyler quickly informed him.

"Well, spit it out already and cut it out with this nonsense. What is it?"

"Well, you remember Tails?" Tyler said, showing him their fourth companion, who the turtle had not seen. Tails quietly said "hi" to the turtle as the turtle scratched his head.

"Well…. Yes, I do remember him. What does he have to do with…"

"Mr. Mayor, he can finish the plane!" Tyler told him.

"Mr. Reed, I know you care fondly for your fiancé and your friend Rosaline, but if their nonsense is spreading to…"

"Mr. Mayor, I'm serious. He understands everything that scientists has on his notes, he's already finished parts of the plane.

The turtle looked at Tails, who looked at him back challengingly. The turtle then turned back to Tyler. "Show me."

***

Tails entered through the door of the scientist's hold home with the Mayor and his friends following behind him. The mayor's eyes instantly feasted on the place, his eyes examining the wing. "You think this can fly?" The mayor asked him. "It's one thing to build it… but if it can't fly…"

"Making it fly will be no trouble." Tails told him confidently. "It depends on how much time you give me."

"We have little time, so all expediency would be appreciated." The mayor suggested to him.

Tails nodded his head. "If I'm going to build it for you…" Tails began, before letting out a sigh. "When I'm finished, you have to help me find my home."

The mayor was startled. "But, sir, I nor anyone else has any idea where you came from. How can we help you if…"

"Tails, we'll help you if you can." Lilijana soothed him, and Tyler nodded in agreement. "But we have to defend this last free town on this island from falling into the hands of that evil man."

The turtle relaxed. "Well, there, your friends will help you. Please, Tails, I will do all in my power to give you any resources to get you home. But right now, you need to build the plane, and quickly. Robotnik's robots could invade any day now."

The mayor held out his hand, and Tails hesitatingly took it in his own, and shook it. He sure was hoping the mayor would follow through on his promise.

"Well…." Tails began, gazing at the mayor, and then at his friends. "I'm going to need some assistants…"

The next few days for Tails were spent in the house, with hardly a moment outside of it. None of Tails three friends knew a thing about mechanics, so they usually did menial tasks such as fetching and lifting heavy objects. Rosaline typically just watched or got them their lunch, which was always fish. Tuna fish. "Can't you get us some different meal besides the same old fish, Rosaline?" Lilijana begged.

"Sure, I can do that!" Rosaline replied with a smile. Lilijana sighed in relief.

"I sure hope it is some carrots she gets us. I like carrots."

It turned out to be salmon instead. Lilijana moaned as Rosaline's happy face showed her the plate of salmon.

All night and all day Tails worked on the plane, consumed by both necessity and passion. Its parts made sense to him, as if the machine and him could talk to one another. Here was an endeavor ruled by nothing but logic, and for as long as one followed its rules, anything could be built.

Anything…

***

Tails finally looked at his work. Three days had passed, and already the plane was just about complete. All Tails had to do was finish his engine, get the fuel gauge installed, and attach the wings…

It was late in the evening, and Rosaline had already gone to bed, wondering why Tails was going to pull yet another all nighter.

Yet Tails was driven to finish this tonight. All his calculations stated this would work… but he had to see it work.

He had to test it…

A knock on the door paused his work, as Tails looked towards the entrance. He put his tools down, yawned and covered his mouth, and slowly made his way toward the door.

When he opened it, he was surprised to see the bear Brock, rather than Tyler and Lilijana, who would likely tell him to get some sleep. "The mayor and I figured you'd be up, and he wanted me to see how the work is coming along." Geoffrey's timing puzzled Tails, but he said "I guess you can come in." Tails noted the box that Brock brought in with him. Whatever was inside it was illuminating the outside a bit.

Tails showed him the plane, and noticed a shocked expression on his face. "So… you weren't joking."

"It took some assistance and a lot of time, but it's coming along." Tails commented.

"It's not done?" The bear asked him.

"No, I'm still installing the engine and the weapon's gauge..."

"Well, where are the weapons?" The bear interrupted him impatiently.

"What are you talking about?" Tails asked him. "The plane's not supposed to shoot at things."

"Pathetic." Brock told him. "This town doesn't stand a chance. The mayor's a fool for not surrendering."

"You don't think we'll make it?"

"Bah! We either die in battle, or get roboticized. Hmph! If we're lucky, he might spare a couple of us to be his henchman."

"I think we can make it." Tails told him. "With good communication from above, we can outsmart the enemy, even if outnumbered."

"Hah! Good luck with that kid." The bear laughed. "It will sure take more than one plane to do that…"

"That's why I made an extra one." Tails told him.

"What?" The bear asked him.

"I have a second plane in the scientist's garage I was working on as well. I made it so we could cover more air space, considering there are trees and mountains on the east and west of this island."

"You're driven kid…" The bear complimented him. But before Tails could smile he added "But it won't be any good."

He began walking toward the door. "I'll report your progress to the mayor."

As the door closed shut behind him, Tails thought about his last statement. Was it truly impossible?

He'd find out soon enough, he supposed.

**A/N: We are moving increasingly closer to the end of this arch, the only pre-Sonic arch of the volume. The next chapters will become increasingly dark, and do not be surprised if a twist occurs…**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

**Out of the frying pan, chased by fire**

"Is it done yet?" Rosaline asked, impatiently eyeing the plane, as Tails gently brushed paint over it with a large brush. Wings stood proudly on the plane, the engine had been tested several times, and it sure looked pretty darn good. Tails couldn't help but feel excited.

"I completed it last night, but I thought it could use a good paint job." Tails told her. Rosaline gasped in awe as she gazed at the plane, speechless at its complexity.

"You'we amazing, Tails!" Rosaline cried, giving her friend a squeeze.

"You… can… let go…" Tails tried to mouth out.

"Oh, sowwy, fwiend." Rosaline apologized, pulling away. "I'm just so excited!" She then moved to jumping around the plane, clapping her hands. "Ooh, when do we fly it? When do we fly it?"

"As soon as the mayor needs it." Tails told her, pulling her down from her excitement. "I've only got enough fuel for this plane." He told her. He didn't mention to her about the second plane yet, which contained the rest of the fuel.

Tails watched her friend calm down for a moment, then smiled at her. "What?" Rosaline asked, curious.

Tails just kept smiling at her. "I just haven't had a friend like you, Rosaline."

The tiger smiled back, but then both of their attentions went to the door as a hard knocking sound was heard. Rosaline bounced toward the door while humming, opening it to reveal the face of Brock. He gave a rough glare at the tiger as she smiled, opening her mouth to speak.

"Ooh… do you want some fish? I've made some fwesh!"

"Fresh, you dimwit tiger!" Brock snarled, smacking the girl out of the way. He then huffed and turned to Tails.

"Hey!" Tails began to complain, but Brock silenced him with a harsh wave of his hand.

"Look kiddo, the mayor told me to tell you of two kitsunes having entered town. They want to tell you that it's safe, and they'll bring you home."

"What?" Tails asked. "Oh, this is great!"

"Tails's fwiends are here?" Rosaline asked. "But how…"

"Shut up, stupid tiger, I have no time for over talkative girls. I'm not in the mood.." The bear snarled, roughly grabbing her by the neck and placing her a good few feet away from him.

"Oh, but they must have been sent by…" He paused for a moment. What if they were hunters sent from Lorenzo?

"They told me to tell you that their names were Zoran and Selina." The bear told him. Tails smile broadened at this.

"Ah, then they are friends!" Tails exclaimed. "Can I see them?!"

"Yes, of course. I have an escort that will take you to them himself." Brock informed him. He turned and saw Rosaline giving him a strange look, which he ignored. "Come, go to your friends." He told him, watching the fox rush out the door with a smile. He laughed to himself, and then turned to glance at the tiger, who still was looking at him strangely.

"You… you awen't telling the twuth." The tiger perceived, her brow furrowing up.

"You don't trust my word?" The bear asked her. "What thoughts are filling your head now, foolish girl?"

"You awe a lair!" Rosaline proclaimed. "You… you know something!"

Brock sighed, shaking his head. "You are perceptive tiger. I never saw it in you. I am lying, but you are wrong about him. There are assassins are from his own world, that have tracked him here. He is a criminal, Rosaline. Criminals must have their consequences, no?"

"He is not a cwiminal!" Rosaline defended him.

"Criminal, you mean?" Brock laughed at her. "You can't even pronounce it right. Pathetic tiger. It is no wonder your parents abandoned you. Ah, don't look at me like that. I'm just stating facts."

"You… you know nothing!" The tiger snarled. "You get out of here!"

"Ah, but you pronounce here right, although there is still a tinge of error." Brock observed cooly. "No, I shall leave when I am ready, _Wosaline. _I have come for the plane. The mayor wants it launched."

"You lie again!" The tiger accused him, baring her claws. Brock looked at her and just laughed.

"You? Fight me? Get a brain girl, and get out of the way if you know what's good for…"

The tiger, enraged, punched the bear with one paw while clawing his side with the other. The bear recoiled in surprise, before growling and fighting the tiger back, slamming her into the wall with her shoulder.

The bear cackled, walking slowly toward her, as the tiger looked for something, anything to help her against the bear. There, behind her. A piece of fish. Fish, no…

Her eyes then landed on the frying pan, but the bear had gotten close now…

"I'm tired of hearing your annoying, impaired speech, _Wosaline_. I think I'll end my misery—"

"Take this!" The tiger roared, throwing the piece of fish over his head.

The bear's eyes watched the fish soar through the air, laughing at her ridiculous attack. "Fish? I should have expected such a…"

Clam! Rosaline slammed the frying pan into his head. The bear staggered back, and the angry tiger slammed it into him again, sending him down onto the floor, unconscious.

"No one makes fun of me like that!" The tiger growled angrily. "Not even a thewapist of speech!"

The tiger then heard the door open, with Tyler and Lilijana emerging. "Hey, you annoying tiger! Where's… is that Brock?"

The tiger nodded fiercly, and the two looked at her as if she had lost her mind. "He… he attacked me."

"I knew she was crazy, but not this crazy." Lilijana sighed.

"No, he really attacked me!" Rosaline growled at her angrily. "And he's sent Tails into a trap. We've got to help him."

"She's not lying, love." Tyler Reed informed her. Lilijana hesitated a moment, not believing her, but wanting to believe him. She then gave in, accepting what the tiger said was true.

"Alright." Lilijana said. "We'd better pull this bear out of here and get Tails quickly."

***

Tails slowly made his way to the tent. Although he had asked Bronx's guide many questions, he was frustrated that he was completely ignored. It was not until they arrived in the tent, set near the edge of the town, that he finally spoke. "In here." The guide gestured, walking off.

Too excited to express his irritation, the fox eagerly entered the tent.

The tent was dark, very dark. The fox looked around, and then suddenly noticed two small flames light on the walls of the tent. It revealed two foxes, their heads down, and then a second later both glancing at him. Neither had a friendly faced.

"Who are you?" Tails asked the two kitsunes, instinctively taking a step back. One bent his head up, an emotionless mask on his face, and gave Tails an expressionless glance.

"It doesn't matter." The kitsune replied, drawing out a blade from his belt."You've only got a few seconds before we kill you."

***

Tails instinctively took a step back from the two triumphant kitsunes, who approached them with calm, but certain steps.

"What?" Tails inquired, shocked. "Why are you doing this?"

"Let's just say that this is all in memory of Lorenzo." The black furred kitsune told him." His green partner let out a small grunt at this.

"Lorenzo's… dead?" Tails asked them. "But how?"

"Might as well at least entertain our guest before the meal." The green kitsune suggested to his partner.

Tails took a step back, but quickly realized that there was only one way out… and the kitsunes were blocking it. His foot gently began tapping on the ground nervously. The dark kitsune raised an eyebrow, then sighed as he let his green partner tell his story.

"Lorenzo was fighting his son after he killed your father… I suppose he underestimated his own son… but he made one slight error that his son didn't miss."

"Zoran killed him? So he's still alive?"

"He might as well be dead." The kitsune told him. "We managed to take control of the kingdom afterwards, and immediately chased him off the island, and jailed your sister, until we would execute her. Unfortunately… things didn't go smoothly."

"A complete disaster." The other one commented.

"The whole town rebelled when they saw that pretty girl's head about to be chopped off. So foolish. To put their trust in a little girl's instead of a military able to keep order?"

"I doubt they saw you that way at all." Tails quipped.

"Shut up, lad. You're as good as dead now anyway." The grey fox growled.

"We were luckier." The green fox continued. "We managed to escape their wrath, and accidently tumbled into some portal."

Tails knew what they were talking about now. He had gone through that same portal.

"We thought we were trapped in a middle of nowhere till some bear named Brock found us. He took care of us. Even brought you to us. Good man, he is."

"Brock…?" Why would Brock do this to him?

"Enough talking." The grey fox snarled, spinning his blade as he readied it in his hand. "It's time to finish what we started."

Tails heart skipped a beat as they neared closer and closer, bloodlust etched all over the grey's face. His tails began to spin with fear faster and faster, lifting him up in the air…

Lifting him up in the air?

Tails looked down to see the two foxes look shocked, then the grey one try to jump up and grab him. "Ahh!" Tails screamed as the grey fox tried to jerk his foot back down to the ground.

The door then slammed opened, and Tails heard the roar of a tiger as Rosaline charged in, pouncing on the grey fox with her claws. Lilijana appeared with a blaster in her hand, aimed straight at the green kitsune, who obligingly raised his hands.

Tyler then emerged with a laser blade and some rope, and he and Rosaline quickly tied the kitsunes hands. "Thanks guys, that was really close." Tails informed them.

"Rosaline told us, we wouldn't have known if it weren't for her." Tyler told him. "But quickly, we must hurry! Robotnik's army is moving in right now."

**A/N: Things are about to get tense as we move toward the end of the pre-sonic arch.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

**Inevitable**

**A/N: Part 1 is almost at its conclusion. The title inevitable of this chapter has a double-bladed meaning that will bring joy but then bite at your heart. **

The four of them all stood outside the bounty hunters tent, looking around at the worried citizens. "I need to get to my lab." Tails told the others.

"That can be done, but we need to establish a plan with the mayor first." Tyler ordered him.

Tails hesitated, but then shook his head. He grabbed something from his belt, and then tossed it to Tyler. "Wha… what the heck is this?" Tyler said, perplexed, examining what Tails tossed him, which looked like a com-link.

"It's a communicating thing." Tails told him. "It was the scientist's…"

"Wait… this is that thing that you can speak to and it comes out of a device that looks…" Tyler looked at Tails, who indeed had a com-link of his own. "Well, hopefully I remember when that scientist showed us how to use them."

"You just hit the button like this." Tails said, demonstrating as he held up the com-link in his hand, his thumb pressing the button.

Tyler nodded. "Alright, go ahead. Rosaline, Lily, let's go to the mayor."

Tails rushed through the streets toward the mayor, who in turn was rushing toward them. "Dagnabbit! Have you guys seen Brock? He was supposed to warn us, he…"

"He's a traitor." Lili snarled. "But we don't have time to explain. We need to formulate a plan."

"I'll fly above and alert them of their positions." Tails offered. The mayor looked at him like he was crazy.

"Have you tested the plane yet?" The mayor asked him.

"No, this will be its maiden voyage." Tails admitted. "But hey, if anything goes wrong, you'll only risk losing me."

The others looked at him with concern. "Tails, if…" Lili began, but Tails stopped her.

"Lili, I've dreamed of this." Tails said with a proud smile on his face. "Besides, who else would test run it?"

The silence answered the question well. "Very well, fox." The mayor complied. "But how will you alert us? Signals?"

"A com-link." Tails told him.

The mayor looked at the device, but didn't ask what it was, Tails presumed he must have known it was the scientists'. "You wish to give this to one of our military officers?"

"Nah, I'll give one to Rosalinda. She'll alert you guys of anything I see."

The three looked at him baffled, turning to glance at the tiger with a skeptical look. "Tails, I think you should reconsider—"

"She can do it." Tails said, placing a hand on the tiger's shoulder confidently. "I trust no one else."

The turtle locked eyes with him for a moment, but then shaked his head. "Young louts never demanded this much in the past. Very well, but you better realize how importance this is, tiger."

"I do indeed." The tiger said, unusually serious.

"Very well." The turtle said, waving them off. "Come on lads, it's time for the young to save our sorry butts again."

Tails glanced at the plane with a slight uneasiness as he looked at the plane, situated just outside of the lab, hauled there carefully with the combined efforts of himself, Rosalinda, and Lili. Tyler had stayed behind to help direct the effort back there.

"It's time." Tails said quietly, before being completely engulfed by Rosalinda, who hugged him tightly. "Err…. You can let go, now." Tails somehow got out.

"I'm sowwy Tails, I'm just so fwightened"

"It's frightened." The cat pointed out.

"Don't Cowwect me!" Rosalilnda growled fiercely at the cat, glaring at her sharply. The cat didn't dare mock her again.

Tails examined the plane, painted a beautiful orange, although Tails didn't have much time to add any fancy symbols to it. It was a design of a biplane, just like the scientists. Tails smiled proudly as he climbed up to the cockpit.

"Be careful, Tails." Lili told him, as he turned around to look at his friends.

"You too." Tails said, climbing in, and snapping his seat belt in. He glanced at his instruction booklet one last time, although he was certain he had memorized everything. He then started the engine, grabbed a hold of the steering wheel, and pulled down the stick to begin driving out of the hanger. "Press the button, Lili."

The cat hit the button, and the hanger door gradually rose and slanted toward the ceiling, pulling itself in to slide under. The plane gently drove itself underneath, and Tails knew he had to pick up speed right at this moment. There wasn't much room to launch him, and he would need plenty of acceleration to keep him in the air.

The plane began picking up speed as Tails turned on the propellers, and he neared closer and closer toward the trees. It was too early to pull up, he just had to wait a couple more seconds.

The foliage was getting uncomfortably near, and Tails knew he couldn't wait any longer. He pulled up, and the plane lurched itself up a feet. If it didn't go higher however, it would slam into the tree. Wouldn't that be a grand sight, right when they needed him?

Tails held his breath as the plane plunged forward, lifting up farther and farther away from the tree, but getting closer and closer, the wing was just grazing its upper branches, striking against the leaves.

But it made it through unscathed. Tails thought he heard his friends cheering from below, and he couldn't help but let out a huge sigh of relief. He had done it, he had always known he could do it, but to see it actually done was uplifting.

He flew around, and his com-link buzzed. "That was awesome, Tails!" Rosalinda screeched into the link, making the fox nearly throw it off.

"A bit quieter please!" Tails told her. "It's quite sensitive."

"Sowwy!" The tiger apologized.

"It's alright." Tails replied. "Hey, make your way back to the mayor; we want him to know what I see."

"Alweady going!" Rosalinda happily informed him.

Tails looked around at his surroundings. He was only near the scientist's house, he'd have to turn the plane towards where the mayor had pointed out the enemy was collecting: due west, were forces were collecting.

For a moment, as the plane roared on through the skies, Tails breathed in, and enjoyed the sweet taste of success through his nostrils, the sky air light and cool, breezy with the wind, but nothing the fox minded. He loved the sky, and he now could be with the sky.

He snapped out of his thoughts as he noticed he was away from the village, and he searched the trees below him. The undergrowth was thick with forest, fallen leaves and branches; it could be a while before…

There! Tails was almost shocked when he saw it: They were people, just like the ones in the town, except they weren't completely alive… Tails noticed the sleek metal, some partially robotic, some mostly robotic, some completely robotic.

What had happened here? He looked down again, and his heart leaped as he noticed a blaster shot soar in the air after him.

It missed, and it missed terribly, the shot was far right, nowhere near even threatening distance close by. It seemed their aim would suffer at this distance.

Tails pulled higher, swerving away as others looked up at him with angry eyes, if their eyes were still intact, as he reached for his com-link. "Rosalinda, do you copy?" There was no response. "Rosalinda, are you there? Respond!"

"I got you, Tails!" The tiger's voice responding from this range was soothing; Tails almost feared he was out of range.

"Tell them that there are enemies west of the camp, hidden by trees, hiding below a hill. Tell them that if they position themselves left of the entrance on the high hill about three hundred meters away, with the lone sakura tree, they will have prime footing position."

Tails listened as Rosaline relayed Tails suggestion to the troops. Looking towards the gate, he noticed several helmeted men and women running towards the hill, and noticed the lion he meet earlier at the front of the entourage, relaying orders. Next to him stood Rosaline, whom Tails noticed he was speaking to.

"The commander wants to know if you can relay a number count."

"A good score or so." Tails relayed back. "A few are moving forward." Indeed, about a dozen were spreading out, moving slowly towards the gate, not yet learning of the base.

Tails watched as they moved past the hill, and a few dozen more sneaked out. What was the general waiting for? Why wasn't he shooting now? Before he got a chance to ask however, Tails heard the guns fire from below.

The enemy was completely surprised, soldiers falling left and right, bullets striking with good accuracy. The soldiers were shocked at the preparedness, at the fires from ahead and behind. It seemed that they, not us, that were the ones to be ambushed. "Mr. Miles."

Tails heard the Lion speak through the link. "This day is yours."

Tails couldn't help but grin to himself.

Tails was surprised to see not only Lili, Tyler, Rosaline, and the mayor, but several of the other soldiers and the general himself. Tails found himself first in the arms of Rosaline, who kept praising his name, then with Lili squeezing in, then his hands shaking the various hands of soldiers and friends.

"Dang proud of you, fox." The general said. Tails beamed at the strong lion, and smiled at his daughter, who looked up at him with awe, as if he was a legend. "You've brought us hope yet."

"Yes, yes, most excellent." The mayor commented. "But I have my end of the deal to fulfill, do I not? Although you are welcome to change your mind and stay."

Tails shook his head. "I made a second plan just for my exit. I'd love to stay and celebrate…. But I long for home. I need to see if my family is okay."

The general nodded in understanding, extending a hand for the fox to shake. "Good luck." He then reached into his pocket, pulling out a golden-blazed medal, pressing it gently against the fox's chest. "You deserve this."

"Thank you for the honor, general." Tails told him. The two shared a smile, before his other friends peered at him.

"Would you like us to come along, Tails?" Tyler and Lili asked. "It would be nice to visit your homeland."

Tails shrugged. "I don't even know where it is, but if you will search with me, it would be a pleasure."

Rosaline cheered loudly, excitedly moving back toward the hangar. "I'll get the plane started."

The tiger was racing toward the plane, as Tails felt a strange feeling in his heart. His hears were picking something odd in the sky…

Then they all heard it. The sound of planes… and these weren't Tails' planes. The pilots were animals… but they seemed to look straight ahead, as if they didn't register the excitement or thrill, too focused, too cold.

Eggman's men.

"Fire at will at those planes!" The general roared.

Soldiers began grasping for guns, but suddenly, one of the planes dropped something, and the general told them to stop, uncertain of their motives.

As soon as the objects dropped to the ground, they began exploding. Soldiers got shredded into pieces, blasted into the air, into walls, some killed quickly, some bleeding to death, some missing limbs. A few lucky were moving back as the general directed the group to move. The mayor himself was dead, bleeding not too far away from Tails, who had a piece of shrapnel graze his neck.

"Tyler! Lead your friends to the hangar! Get out of here!" The general commanded them. Tyler grabbed Lili's hand earnestly, who was whining in pain, her shoulder bleeding terribly.

Suddenly, emerging from one of the houses, was more of Eggman's forces. "Brock!" The general snarled. He stopped however, as the bear had a rifle pointing at his daughter, Balthazar.

Tyler had not noticed, but when he turned around, looking for the general's presence, the next thing he stopped, as another bomb blew into another home.

"Traitor!" The general cursed. "Give me my daughter!"

The bear had a rather ugly lump on his head from Rosaline's frying pan attack. He snarled angrily at the general. "I always hated you, general."

Without hesitation, he moved his rifle off his daughter and fired at the general. The general fired back, but Brock used his one of Eggman's men as a shield, letting him die in pain. Lili screamed as the general's hand went to his chest, and Brock fired yet another shot. Another scream, this one was the great lion's daughter, Balthazar. Her father had been murdered in front of her eyes.

Brock then turned to Tails hungrily."Get him. He has no where to run."

Tyler and Lili had already sprinted, and Tails cursed himself for not moving sooner, as bullets grazed past him, feet shuffling madly.

"Dang, he's fast!" Brock cursed. "Put more energy into it, stupid roboticized henchman!"

Feet pounded upon the earth, zigzagging through trees, through alleys, leaping over a fence to get toward the hangar. The door was already open, but the site insides was not good.

"Oh no…" Lili whispered, as they looked upon more of Eggman's forces, two trying to steal his plane.

They stopped as they heard the newcomers, and the two enemies went to grab their guns, trying to fire at the fox who was already diving to the ground for cover…

… yet a tiger came from behind them, racking at one of the eyes, as she slashed at the other's face. The gun fired on the inside wildly.

Tyler moved determinedly, punching hard at the second man as he went down. He then gestured to Lili to take the plane Tails had flown earlier. Tails moved towards the other plane, shouting to Rosaline. "Come on, Rosaline, let's go."

No response.

"Rosaline, quickly!" Tyler added, fearing Brock would appear in the distance any moment.

Tails looked for the tiger, and then saw her crawling towards him, blood dripping from her body. "T-t-t-ails…" She struggled to speak, red liquid spattering from her mouth.

A tear slid down Lili's eyes, as Tyler looked, shocked at the tiger's state. Tails himself was broken, broken as he watched yet another friend fall.

"That was… really brave of you, Rosaline." Tails sobbed quietly. "You didn't have to… we just became friends!"

The tiger's arms reached for him, and Tails held her up, as she held herself on to him, but her hands were growing weak.

"Fwiends…" The tiger whispered weakly. Then her hand fell down cold.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

**The Sky-High Battle**

**A/N: Final Chapter of Part I has come!**

"Rosaline…" Lili whispered, as Tails looked at her, completely lost.

"Miles… we've got to go! Brock has just appeared!" Tyler shouted to him. Tail's hand was on Rosaline's forehead, but she was colder than frozen stone. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair.

"Miles!" Tyler yelled at him.  
Tails finally looked away, then realizing he had little time, hastily jumped in his plane, quickly starting the engine, as Lili and Tyler could wait no longer. "Do you know how to fly?" Tails shouted to them worriedly.

"Lili does!" Tyler told him, as she handled the gears. A shot bounced off their wing as they zoomed dangerously fast towards Brock, who was forced to dive out of the way or be mince-meat.

Tails zoomed on afterwards, as Brock looked up at him, cackling as he pointed behind them.

Then Tails noticed… there was an entire fleet of planes beyond them in the sky. What caught his attention the most was one very large ship, with the head of a man on its side, characterized by a thick, bushy mustache and goggles on his head, with a rather mean sneer on his face.

"That's Eggman's symbol!" Lili cried, worriedly.

"That traitor!" Tyler yelled.

Tails could barely hear either one of them as the planes roared in the sky. Tails' design was good, but he knew the planes that were chasing them were fast, mass produced, and made for war. His was only made for scouting.

"Lili! Put the plane in full throttle!" Tails shouted to her.

"What?" The cat cried back to him.

"Put it in Full throttle!"

"How do I do that?"

"Just push the gears all the way in!" Tails called out to her.

"What?"

A shot from a plane behind them interrupted them, as Tails swerved right, putting his plane in full throttle as he felt the other one fly in front of him, then swerve around, trying to catch his tail.

"MILES!" Lili shouted, as a plane began shooting at her. They clicked and boomed in the sky, and Tails hear Lili's scream as her plane was hit, and he almost feared she would go down…

Yet Tyler took over the situation, pushing the plane into full throttle, as the enemy plane had to swerve to get behind them, others following in quick pursuit.

Tails noticed he was getting chased away from his friends… and that they were doing it on purpose. Even if they made it out alive, they would…

Then he saw an explosion in the sky… he turned around earnestly, but he could not identify the plane… No, please don't let it be…

A shot clipped at his wing, and the fox swerved away in a zigzag pattern, making pursuit difficult. Two enemy planes collided, left wing colliding with right, as the planes began to lose air, and the two men began cursing at each other as they fell to the earth. Yet fresh air planes were already in pursuit.

"Come on, come on, COME ON!" Tails shouted to his plane. It wasn't going to go any faster, and it seemed the planes could match him speed for speed.

One plane was dead set behind him, fingers on the trigger…

Tails dove as bullets hit and damaged his tail, not letting up at his speed at all, as the enemy pursued, smiling. Below Tails was sea water…

If he rose up, he would lose a lot of speed, and any one of the pursuing enemies could shoot him on his way up. He would have to dive and then raise his nose and go parallel to the water, yet remaining very close, relying on obstacles, fear, and a bit of luck to make it through. But if he raised his nose too late… he would collide with the water, and the force would likely snap his neck.

Tails hand's shake as the enemy anticipated his rise, waiting for him to lose gall. But the fox had made up his mind already, as he looked at the water as if Rosaline herself was eyeing an enemy, completely unafraid and uncaring of who it was.

He was close, so close now, he could smell the water, distantly hear birds. Yet he couldn't stop it yet… he had to wait… wait…

He then lurched the plane with a great jerk of the throttles toward one-hundred and eighty degrees, feeling the water underneath rise at the force, as the plane lerched so terribly close, a wheel began to touch the water as the force from the plane crashed the waves against it, Tails shaking both from fear and his shift from acceleration to deceleration as he was just centimeters away from mortal peril…

Yet the plane rose perfectly, as Tails heard the enemy pilot behind him scream, as his plane slammed into the water, others swerving away or rising, as Tails continued to accelerate. Looking behind him, he noticed three fighters remaining, two of which had just rose up with great fear, nearly colliding with one another. The other quickly canceled his dive, leaning at a good enough angle to attempt a shot at Tails.

The fox was swerving like crazy, as he noticed land nearby and rapidly approaching. He saw it was a small isle, yet if he utilized it well enough, he could stall them al there.

He then saw what he needed: A cliff…

Already having been lucky and bold once, Tails did not even hesitate as the plane lumbered at full speed, the shots the enemy plane was firing upon him useless, its two companions trying to catch up, but rapidly and then gradually falling behind, as it maintained a distance too far for combat and easy to lose.

Tails knew he could time it right again… he only hoped the plane behind him couldn't. And the two planes behimd him were far enough that they would not be easily able to dive up after him, and if the rock made them afraid enough, they would turn away from the rock and then dive, losing enough time for Tails to get out of sight via a cloud, behind high trees, anything…

The rock approached, large, bumpy, and terribly jagged. A waterfall lurched from the isle, splashing onto a sandy bank that drained into the ocean. Tails timed it, lurched the plane up on an upward dive, and then saw that his success would also rely on how much speed was in this plane. Could it take on the force of gravity and the air?

Tails noticed his speedometer gradually falling, as his plane neared the end. Just a little longer… Below him, the enemy plane had swereved, then jumped out of his plane in fear as it inevitably hit rock. Yet he had jumped out after foolishly attempting to fly up after him, and was too high. His fall into the water would be painful.

The other two planes, as predicted swerved away, and by the time they attempted to rise in height, he would be gone… if he could just make it.

His speed was nearly 0 as he lurched it forward, the plane gradually climbed straight, Tails noticing the blades spinning back to greater life, the speedometer climbing, and Tails smiled as he rose in the sky.

When he looked back, and no one was following him, he laughed in great relief, removing his helmet as he felt the air strike against it.

Then, when he stopped laughing, and there was only silence besides the plane and the windy air, he could not help but see the dying Rosaline, or the explosion in the air that could have been Tyler and Lily trying to zoom away.

Tails' eyes widened in realization: He had lost all his friends, and had no idea where his home was.

He was, once again, truly alone.

**A/N: With the conclusion of part I, part II (and Chapter 11) will commence in 7 days. It's title is the Blue Blur. Obviously you can guess what it is about.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Quick A/N: Goddess Summer has a way of delaying progress…**

**Part II:**

**The Blue Blur**

_I was now a six year old fox, who in less than even a quarter of one year saw his father killed before his eyes, separated from his family, and found himself far away from home. I, that fox, made new friends, only to witness one die from the work of an enemy, the other two's fates likely in the same grim boat._

_ It was a dark time in my life as I soared on that plane, sobbing as the wind blew against my face, as if trying to soothe me with its chill, whispering of the comfort death could possibly bring, blowing the tears fly away from my face. Yet the coming dawn would mark a new page in my life as the sun began to rise in the sky, its warmth offering me mild solace. Things would equally become more adventurous, more perilous, and unimaginably different in my life as I forged yet another friendship._

Chapter 11: Flying Somewhere…

Tails heart beat slowly as the plane silently flew through the quiet, forlorn skies. He didn't even shiver from the cold wind now, his eyes barely paying attention to the gas gauge, which was moving closer and closer to empty.

He was too exhausted to sob now; too weak to even really try to think on where he was going to land. He only stared at the gauge, so close to empty, yet for now unmoving.

All the fox could see on his mind was Rosaline, Rosaline, Rosaline, the tiger girl, killed before his eyes… again… again… again. Then, the next sight was his father, stabbed by his exiled uncle.

He remembered Tyler's and Lili's shouts, and the explosion that soon followed them…

But most of all, he remembered Rosaline, and he could vividly see her diving right now, in front of him, raking and tackling the two men with guns, as one fired wildly as she pounced, the same bullets that brought her demise, deeply penetrating and fatally injuring vital organs.

The wind began to blow harshly on the fox's face, as if laughing causing his tails to stir slowly, and making Tails close his eyelids, if only for a moment, if only to forget where he was, if only to place himself somewhere else, anywhere else, but the plane in the sky, soaring alone, going to 0, going to his death, going to the end…

The orange fox saw himself walking in a hallway, illuminated by white light, the floor tiles brown diamonds. Torches lighted the hallway, and Tails knew that beside him stood the cursed-wise vixen, her face scrunched in pain, her silver eyes looking at something particular in the hall, something Tails could not see.

_"You have had gone through much already, and this is only the beginning of your life, a mere year."_ The wise vixen spoke to Tails in his mind.

"What is this place?" Tails asked her. _"It doesn't seem to go anywhere."_

_ "That is because you cannot see." _The cursed-vixen informed him. A melodious moan escaped from her mouth, filling Tails with nostalgia.

"_This hall, Miles Prower, is your life. Much of it is dark, except for the little that I was able to divine when you were younger."_ The two foxes continued walking side by side, through the darkness of the hall, soundless, and alone.

"But why is this spot lit, and not the rest?" Tails asked her.

_"This is your past. It has already been seen."_The cursed-vixen didn't look at it though, but kept looking forward. _"The lightning, the plane… they are part of the past now… but they seem to be part of the future as well." _With a silent step and moan she moved down the hall, eyes penetrating through the darkness to which Tails could not pierce with his own. _"Perhaps that is why you cannot see the past so well… or perhaps your own sadness is blinding you."_

Tails looked at her, awed and somewhat fearful of this knowledgeable cursed-vixen, as she continued her muttering. _"Yet the colors blue and green… The blue heals but the green causes grief, the name foreshadowing the dark adventure…"_

Another sad moan filled the chamber, making Tails' heart sink. Her voice sounded in so much anguish, so much sorrow…

_"You have so much control over your destiny, Miles Prower, your power endless, your imagination the only limit."_

"I'm stuck on a plane right now, lost, and with no friends!" Tails replied solemnly. "I'm not strong at all."

The cursed-wise vixen's silver eyes finally gazed at him, and Tails just could not look at them. So much pain and anguish…

"You will learn, soon enough." Her voice spoke now, and Tails heart began to feel as if it was stricken with grief, hearing her sweat, pained voice fill his ears. She let out her anguished sigh, and then spoke to him in thought once more. _"I do not know when you will meet them, but both the blue and green see how powerful you truly are and how much you are needed…"_

"Who is the blue and green?" Tails asked. The fox didn't seem to hear him, her three tails dragging on the floor as she made her way away from him. "Can you tell me?"

_"You will find out on your own."_ The cursed-wise vixen informed him. "_You just have to wake up first…" _

Tails' eyelids slowly peered open, the wind bristling and chilling his neck. The gas level was dangerously near E now. He had thirty minutes max left of flying time now.

There was no danger now, surely. He had to go down, no matter where he was, and land.

His hands began shaking as he lurched the plane downward, down below the clouds, the cool air and steady drop from the sky chilling Tails bones. Below him was sandy ground, beach and nearby palm trees as he finally veered away from the ocean, and just in time, as for the red gas bar crawled to its last. The tank was empty. Tails was flying on wind alone.

Still, Tails knew that the bar was slightly off, that he had several seconds of control left. He would have to dive down quickly. Tilting the plane to match's gravity's pull, he lurched the plane a further 45 degrees, looking down at the earth.

The speed was making the rookie pilot sick, but he wasn't worrying about the fact that he was very close to emptying his stomach. He had to survive.

He was very close to a nearby forest now… The ever-green trees appeared beneath him, tall plants, leafy and branchy to support him if he fell, but there was no guarantee of safety from them. He had but three seconds to pull up…

He grabbed the controls, using the rest of the gas to lurch the plane up. The propellers began to lose acceleration, and Tails knew there was the end of his mechanical power.

The plane zoomed towards the earth, as a wing slammed against a tree, slamming Tails head against a window seat. A branch caught the other wing as the plane lurched toward the ground, pieces flying everywhere.

Ten meters from the ground, then five. Tails braced for the impact…

"What the!" Tails jumped as he heard a voice come right in front of him.

He was about to collide with it!


	12. Chapter 12

**ZeldaStep wrote:**

"_**Interesting story. I wish it would be continued, but seeing as you haven't updated for almost two years Im not that hopeful…"**_

**A/N: Your wish is my command. **

**Chapter 12.**

A blur seemed to move right when Tails was sure he would collide, and Tails opened his eye, only to witness the front of the plane crash against the ground, the side breaking apart and scattering everywhere. Tails nearly lurched forward flying out of his seat, body slamming hard against the cockpit as he cried out as the plane came into impact. Some small pieces of wing were sent cascading in all directions as sand engulfed the plane, the nose digging in to the earth.

Tails groaned, feeling pain everywhere, now keeping his eyes closed, almost afraid to know where he was. While his eyes remained closed, he gently moved the joints he could, feeling for pains. He could feel the stings of sand all against his arms and legs, the thud and pressure against his stomach, as he slowly moved his hand to clutch against himself as he moaned.

He instinctively moved to shift open the door of the plan, falling with an "Umph!" on the sandy ground, groaning, before shifting to have knees perch him up on the ground. Vision shaky, he saw his propeller bent, tail end of the plane buried in sand, broken apart from the rest of the plane. The wings looked ready to fall off any moment, a forty-five degree angle forward, the exact flipped opposite of its initial state.

His blurry gaze shifted forward, and he tried to sit up, knees aching and his arms hurting to rise. His hand then was grasped, and breath lost that moment, he peered upon a blue hedgehog, who had a grin, trying to usher him up. "Say, that was a close one there!"

"Huh?" Tails blinked, gazing up at the hedgehog in surprise. His tone wasn't angry, it wasn't hostile, but he felt worried, yet let hedgehog help him up his feet.

"You went almost fast enough to hit me. Almost. The blue hedgehog's grin remained, though a hand reached up to clutch the groggy fox's arm, as his foot took a step away from the wreckage, and to the left of the hedgehog. The fox coughed into his hand, before he took another shaky step, eyes spinning around.

"Take it easy." The blue hedgehog said, trying to motion for the fox to take a seat after they moved a few feet further from the wreck. The sand below them was soft, and the ocean's waves heaved forth into the coast gently. "What's your name?"

The fox paused, and he then thought of home, where his father would beam on him, where his sister called his name in sing-song and giggled. He thought of Tyler, and Lili, and Rosaline, who had given him a new name. He had just come out of rest, but he felt as if he had not slept since he had vanished from his home.

"_Fwiends…" _ Echoed Rosaline's voice into his mind…the haunting last word that was pronounced so warm and weakly.

"My name is Tails."

Sonic glanced at his two name-sake-tails, and he quickly added, as if he felt dishonest, "Well Miles Prower…but my friends called me tails.

"Tails? Heh." His hand extended, and the fox shook it firmly. "My name's Sonic. What's this here?"

"It's a plane," Tails began to explain. "It is guided by a propeller to keep it up in the air, and it has wheels to increase its velocity for the launch."

Sonic gave him a blank look, and then just grinned. He didn't understand. "Look's dangerous, but was pretty fast."

"Ran out of fuel," Tails tried to explain further. "I was dodging enemy pil-."

"Enemy pilots? You were under attack by others flying the same thing?"

Tails nodded. "Servants of some Robotnik…the place I flew from, it was being invaded, and I was ordered to fly away along with my friends."

"Eggman." Sonc said with familiarity.

"You know him?" Tails asked curiously, brushing his legs from sand as he sat.

The hedgehog, still standing, nodded firmly. "We've faced off before, he captures animals and enslaves them in his strange machines, or robotizes them. I thought he had given up, but he's back."

"You mean this isn't the first time?!" Tails asked incredulously. "Why wasn't he put away?"

"I don't kill." Answered the hedgehog. "And it seems he did quick work of his captors." Sonic peered up at the sky. Tails followed his gaze quizzically, still stroking at his injuries when the hedgehog asked, "Did you see him?"

"Who?"

"Eggman." The hedgehog said simply. Tails shook his head no.

"Well that's okay." Sonic said reassuringly with another grin, looking towards the land. "I'm just going to find a hill, look for the weirdest thing in the sky, and chase it!" Sonic seemed just about to bolt off then and there, already moving a few paces full of excitement, when Tails shouted.

"Wait!"

"Huh?"

"Wait for me." Tails pleaded.

Sonic tilted his head and looked over the fox, and Tails did the same. He was bruised, tired, and had slept only a little on his sad flight. The hedgehog didn't know anything about him, and he didn't know anything about the hedgehog either. But he wasn't going to let Rosaline's death be in vain.

"I want to help you." Tails added, as if it would help convince the hedgehog.

The hedgehog gave him an uncertain look, and Tails pushed on, "I want to seek justice for my friends. I don't want their losses to all be in vain."

Stupid tears. Tails knew one was sliding down his face then, and he shamefully tilted his gaze to the sand. He was weak, he knew, he was tired, he very well knew, and he was grieving. If he could suddenly pause all action in the world, if only for a moment, he would find a tree, he would make a memorial, and he would cry, cry as long as he could, until things got better, until things made sense, and were fair again.

Perhaps the tears put the hedgehog in a sense of awkwardness, for he was quiet for a moment, and then a second one, but then he crept closer, and he said, "If you can keep up with me, you can follow me, and we'll kick this Eggman's butt to a place it deserves."

Tails wiped his tears, and he looked up…but Sonic was already running, quickly up the elevation, up the emerald green hills. His feet ached, and so he did the only thing he could to keep up, he knew he could do it.

He spun his tails, and he flew quickly after the hedgehog, nearly out of sight.

**A/N: As you see, I'm returning to my old stories, though not all of them at once and some only have a few chapters remaining. If there are any in particular you would like to see focused on in particular, specify such in a review or PM, and I'll give it special attention.**


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